inter Paralympics set to get underway in Beijing following exclusion of Russia and Belarus
A record number of Para athletes -- around 700 -- were expected to compete in this year's Winter Paralympics in Beijing
inter Paralympics set to get underway in Beijing following exclusion of Russia and Belarus
but much of the focus the day before the Opening Ceremony fell on the 83 who won't.
That's after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced the U-turn decision to block Russian
Belarusian athletes from competing at the Games in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
According to the IPC, backlash from the teams and athletes preparing to compete in Beijing was "jeopardising the viability" of the Games
making the safety of athletes "untenable," even after Russian and Belarusian participants were set to compete as neutrals.
It is against this backdrop that the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Paralympics gets underway on Friday
The competition runs until March 13 and showcases 78 events across six Para sports
alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, snowboarding and wheelchair curling.
As with last month's Winter Olympics, events will be held in the three separate zones of central Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.
Russia and Belarus ban -- how did it come about?
Then on Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) "recommended" that Russian and Belarusian athletes were either banned from international sporting events