Polish Paralympic Committee skips opening ceremony over Russia, Belarus flags
The Polish Paralympic Committee will not send its athletes to the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympic Games in protest against Russian and Belarusian competitors being allowed to participate under their national flags, its president Lukasz Szeliga has said.
"We will not send athletes to the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympic Games," Szeliga said, adding that the decision was taken in solidarity with Ukraine.
"I am in constant contact with the president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, and we will simply try to act in line with them to show our support for them," he said. "They are not sending their athletes to the opening, and we will not send ours either."
Szeliga said the participation of Russia and Belarus was approved in a vote by the International Paralympic Committee, adding that the issue had been discussed at three congresses, including the most recent one in Seoul. Asked whether Russia could have influenced the outcome, he said: "I simply do not see any other possibilities here than influence linked to Russia's effective foreign policy."
Nine Polish athletes and six guides are set to compete in the Games, which begin on March 6, in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, parabiathlon and parasnowboarding. (PAP)
mj/jch
