Tokyo, Japan, August 24, 2021: The Afghanistan flag will be displayed at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Tuesday, August 24, even though the country’s athletes were not able to travel to Tokyo to compete.
Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, said the flag would be on view as a sign of solidarity.
Parsons said a representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees would carry the flag in the National Stadium during the opening ceremony. It’s the same stadium where the opening ceremony of the Olympics took place on July 23.
The two Paralympic athletes from Afghanistan were unable to reach Tokyo after the Taliban took control of the country more than a week ago. They are para-taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi and discus thrower Hossain Rasouli.
Parsons said 162 delegations would be represented in Tokyo, which includes refugee athletes. The IPC has said about 4,400 athletes will compete in the Paralympics.
The Paralympics will close on September 5.
Source: Associated Press