As the curtain closes on what has been heralded as another successful Paralympics, what has been made evident is that even the world s premier sporting event for athletes with impairments is not immune from the ripple effects of the Ukraine war.
The flame was yesterday extinguished on Beijing’s Winter Paralympics after nine days of stellar performances from the host nation and Ukraine athletes reeling from Russia’s invasion.
The Bird’s Nest Stadium hosted the closing ceremony, where China handed the baton to Italy’s Milano-Cortina, which is to stage the 2026 Winter Games.
At the opening ceremony, China Central Television (CCTV) censored International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons’ forceful anti-war speech, and the lead-up to the Games was overshadowed by controversy over whether athletes from Russia and ally Belarus should be able to compete.
After an arduous journey to get to the Chinese capital from
(Press Release) Team USA Wins Mixed Relay Gold to Close Out Nordic Skiing at 2022 Paralympic Winter Games – FasterSkier com fasterskier.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fasterskier.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
They swept the podium in two separate biathlon events on Tuesday and are second in the medal count. But the troubles at home are never far from their minds.