Seven countries to boycott Paralympics ceremony over flag-flying Russians
#Paralympics #boycott #Russia #flag #ceremony #sanctions #international sports
📌 Key Takeaways
- Seven countries will boycott the Paralympics opening ceremony due to Russian participation under their national flag.
- The boycott is a protest against allowing Russian athletes to compete with their flag despite previous sanctions.
- The decision highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting international sports events.
- The move may impact the ceremony's atmosphere and draw attention to political disputes over the Games.
📖 Full Retelling
<ul><li><p>No ParalympicsGB athletes will be present in Verona</p></li><li><p>IPC says Russian presence ‘determined by members’</p></li></ul><p>Seven countries and the British government will boycott the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in protest at the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes.</p><p>The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania
🏷️ Themes
Sports boycott, Geopolitical conflict
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Original Source
Seven countries to boycott Paralympics ceremony over flag-flying Russians No ParalympicsGB athletes will be present in Verona IPC says Russian presence ‘determined by members’ Seven countries and the British government will boycott the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in protest at the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The International Paralympic Committee said the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine would not be sending athletes or officials to the ceremony on Friday night. Other countries – including Great Britain – have said they will not be sending athletic representation due to the imminent start of competition. The IPC estimates fewer than 60% of the competing countries will send a full delegation to the 2,000-year-old Arena di Verona. The UK government confirmed there would be no representatives attending the event and reiterated its opposition to Russian athletes competing under their own flag. “We have been clear that the Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in international sport while the barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine is ongoing.” But it did say the minister for sport, Stephanie Peacock, would be in Cortina “purely to support our inspirational ParalympicsGB athletes”. Andrew Parsons, the president of the IPC, defended the decision to allow Russian athletes to compete under their own flag for the first time since 2014. Russia and Belarus were banned from the 2022 Paralympics after the invasion of Ukraine,. At the same time, there is mounting uncertainty over the participation of countries caught up in the conflict launched by the US and Israel against Iran “Our clear focus remains on supporting all stakeholders arriving and preparing to deliver the best Paralympic Winter Games,” he said. “We are collaborating with Milano Cortina and ensuring this event continues to serve as a platform to drive social change for the world’s 1.3 billion persons with disability.” Parsons s...
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