Beijing Wintry weather Paralympics Declared Closed | Different Sports activities Information

The Beijing Wintry weather Paralympics have been formally declared closed on Sunday, after a controversy-hit Video games which banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing over the invasion of Ukraine. Andrew Parsons, president of the Global Paralympic Committee (IPC), declared the development completed and praised its “superior organisation, colourful venues and sensational recreation” on the ultimate rite within the Chinese language capital’s “Hen’s Nest” stadium.

He additionally praised the athletes, who he referred to as “beacons of hope, and champions for peace”.

The rite, additionally attended by way of Chinese language President Xi Jinping, featured a 55-metre Beijing 2022 brand within the type of a vinyl report participant turntable, rotating beneath a shining snowflake.

After opening song from 4 harp gamers, athletes paraded in the course of the stadium to applause along dancing volunteers in snowflake-adorned blue and white outfits.

The Paralympic flag was once reduced and passed over to Italy’s Milano-Cortina, which is able to degree the 2026 Wintry weather Video games, earlier than a drum efficiency happened to near the rite.

“Within the Paralympic Villages there have been other international locations, other perspectives, other skills. Variations right here didn’t divide us. They united us,” Parsons mentioned in his speech.

“Via this team spirit we’ve got hope. Hopes for inclusion, hopes for cohesion, and importantly hopes for peace.”

The lead-up to the Video games was once overshadowed by way of controversy over whether or not athletes from Russia and best friend Belarus must be allowed to compete.

The IPC to begin with mentioned it could permit the athletes to compete as neutrals, however after threats of boycotts from different competition and tensions emerging within the athletes’ village, organisers banned them from the Video games.

On the opening rite, Parsons’ forceful anti-war speech was once censored on Chinese language state TV, as Beijing refuses to sentence the invasion by way of its shut spouse Russia.

And within the ultimate rite, no longer all of his speech was once translated into Chinese language for the home target audience, with words together with “champions for peace” and “hopes for peace” not noted.

It was once the host country China who emerged as the brand new Wintry weather Paralympics powerhouse — topping the medals desk with 18 golds and 61 medals in all.

Promoted

After an hard adventure to get to the Chinese language capital from their war-torn hometown, Ukraine’s athletes completed a outstanding 2d within the medals desk in the back of China.

(This tale has no longer been edited by way of TTN group of workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)