Latest updates from the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony as the Games begin against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After initially ruling that Russian and Belarusian athletes would be able to compete under a neutral flag on Wednesday, the International Paralympic Committee made a dramatic U-turn on that decision yesterday. The IPC’s president, Andrew Parsons, admitted the situation in the athletes’ village had “become untenable” as several countries threatened to boycott the Games in protest. “What is clear is that the rapidly escalating situation has now put us in a unique and impossible position so close to the start of the Games,” he said. “Yesterday we said we would continue to listen, and that is what we are doing.”
Russia reacted to the announcement by claiming they would launch an emergency lawsuit with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, however, on Friday a statement confirmed that their athletes are now “planning to leave the capital of the Winter Games”. Ukraine’s delegation of athletes has arrived safely in Beijing, with committee president Valeriy Sushkevych hailing their participation as “a miracle”.
There will be 24 British athletes competing at the Games, as ParalympicsGB bid to emulate the record seven-medal haul scooped in South Korea four years ago.
Follow the opening ceremony live below:
