Winter Paralympic Games open in Beijing with calls for peace in Ukraine

The tournament starts amidst the Russian war on Ukraine that has led to the expulsion of its athletes. The Chinese government has refused to criticize Russia as it welcomed more than five hundred athletes for the Games.

Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee called for peace on Friday as the Winter Paralympic Games commenced inside Beijing's Bird Nest Stadium.

Parsons said in his speech at the opening ceremony: "The 21st century is a time for dialogue and diplomacy, not for war and hatred."

He said he was "horrified" by the events in Ukraine and that the Olympic Truce was broken by Russia's invasion last Thursday.

"Athletes from 46 nations will compete with each other, not against each other. They will showcase the best of humanity. An opponent does not have to be an enemy," the Brazilian continued.

"Tonight, the Paralympic Movement calls on world authorities to come together, as athletes do, and promote peace, understanding and inclusion."

The Games were officially opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has refused to criticize Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to hundreds of deaths and caused a massive influx of refugees into neighbouring countries.

Xi met with Vladimir Putin in February when the two countries released a joint statement pledging mutual support.

Unlike at the Olympic Games where Russian athletes competed under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), neither Russia not Belarus will be represented at the Paralympics following an International Olympic Committee (IOC) ban. 

The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) had pondered an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but said in a statement Friday that such a move was not possible but that it may contest the exclusion at an appropriate court in the future. It named the exclusion "politicized" and said that "double standards have unfortunately become the norm in modern sport."

'Ukraine is alive'

Among the 564 athletes from 46 nations competing across six sports (alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, hockey, snowboarding and curling) over the next ten days are 20 athletes (12 men and eight women) from Ukraine.

"It's a miracle that we have made it to the Paralympics at all,'' Ukrainian delegation head Valerii Sushkevych told media. "We overcame a lot of barriers on the way."

He said that "many members of our team had to escape while there was bombardment and shells exploding" and insisted that their presence is to show that "Ukraine is alive."

Ukraine won seven gold medals in cross-country skiing and biathlon at the last Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang in 2018.

oa/mf (Reuters/DPA)