Ukraine is one of the biggest Paralympic powers in the world – and not just at the Summer Games, as those recently held in Tokyo (Japan) and Rio de Janeiro are known. The eastern European country occupies the top six positions in the medal table at the Winter Paralympics since 2006, in Turin (Italy). At the debut, in 1998, in the Japanese city of Nagano, Ukrainian athletes already frequented the top of the podium.
The country’s presence in the Beijing Games (China), which begin this Friday (4), however, is unknown, due to Russian military action in Ukraine. In a statement released last Thursday (24), when the attacks began, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) condemned Russia for breaking the “Olympic Truce”, defined by consensus by the 193 member states of the Organization of United Nations (UN), in a general assembly held in December last year.
At the communiqué, the president of the IPC, the Brazilian Andrew Parsons, said he was in contact with the Ukrainian delegation, but acknowledged that taking the athletes to the Chinese capital will be a “gigantic” challenge. The country’s airspace is closed, jeopardizing not only the trip to Beijing, but the eventual return to Kiev, which does not sound safe at the moment (neighboring nations such as Poland and Moldova have been the escape route).
Contact by email with Brazil Agency, IPC spokesman Craig Spence said this Monday (28) that the entity works “in close collaboration with the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee to try to get them to the Games”. He further stated that a “more detailed” response will be provided “as soon as possible”.
Memories of 2014
It is not the first time that Ukrainian parasports has found itself at this crossroads. Eight years ago, the Winter Paralympics in the Russian city of Sochi were held about a week after Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimean peninsula. Last Saturday (26), via Facebook, the president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, Valeriy Sushkevich, recalled that there was pressure for the delegation to boycott the Games at the time.
МИ ЗНАЄМО, ДЕ НАШЕ ПОЛЕ БОЮ!!! https://t.co/Bkywdg1q8G cherez @FacebookWatch
— paralympic.org.ua (@ukrparalympic) February 27, 2022
“We gathered our team, looked each other in the eye and decided to fight for Ukraine’s victory, exactly where it would be most difficult to achieve. We had our victory. The world was once again amazed by the Ukrainian sporting result, and most importantly: our desire for peace in Ukraine and in the world.”
Despite Russian supremacy, with 30 golds, 28 silvers and 22 bronzes, Ukraine stood out by finishing the Games in fourth place overall, with 25 podiums in all (less only than the hosts). Some of the Ukrainians who took to the podium chose to cover the medal in protest. Another manifestation was the decision of only one of the country’s 31 athletes in Sochi (skier Mykailo Tkachenko) to participate in the opening ceremony. He received a standing ovation.
“What can we do today as a national Paralympic team? How Ukrainian Paralympic Committee? Work, prepare, do the possible and the impossible to unite the world for what Ukraine is, which is powerfully fighting for peace. We know where our battleground is,” Sushkevich concluded in Saturday’s post.
Ukraine has 20 athletes qualified for Beijing. Some with everything to be protagonists. Cases of Vitaliy Lukyanenko, owner of six Paralympic golds in cross-country skiing among athletes with low vision, or of Liudmyla Liashenko, who started 2022 as world champion of the sport in Lillehammer (Norway) in the disputes for skiers with physical-motor disabilities and who compete standing.
And Russia?
There is pressure for the Russians (and Belarusian allies) to be suspended and not to compete in China (which could still happen). Spence, from the IPC, confirmed to the Brazil Agency that the entity “received communications from various NPCs [sigla em inglês para Comitês Paralímpicos Nacionais]” and said that the subject will be the main one of the Administrative Council meeting, this Tuesday (2).
On Saturday, the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee shared, on Facebook, a document signed by the presidents of the parasports entities of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, addressed to the IPC. They call for sanctions on Russia and Belarus “indefinitely” and request “humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine’s Paralympic athletes, immediately.”
Global Athletes also commented. Formed by athletes from all over the world, the entity released an open letter last Sunday (27) addressed to the IPC and also to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), on behalf of Ukrainian athletes.
“Athletes, compatriots, family and friends are in grave danger as a result of this aggressive attack by Russia and Belarus on our country. We ask you to join the international community in sanctioning them. […] If the IOC and IPC refuse to take action, they are clearly encouraging violations of international law committed by Russia and Belarus and sending a message to the world that they have put their interests before the athletes. Your legacy will be defined by your actions,” the letter reads.
Global Athlete has been asked by the Ukrainian Athletes to release this open letter to the #IOC and #CPI.
Olympians and Paralympians that would like to add your name to this letter please email: [email protected]@heraskevych pic.twitter.com/50FQof35ON
— Global Athlete (@GlobalAthleteHQ) February 27, 2022
On Monday, the IOC Executive Board recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams not participate in sports competitions. He also stated that, in cases where this is not feasible, international federations would not allow the display of flags or the playing of national anthems.
Currently, Russians are already serving a punishment, due to doping scandals, in which they are prevented from competing under the flag or from hearing the country’s anthem on the podium, representing only the local Paralympic Committee (PRC). This was the case, for example, at the Tokyo Paralympics. In the last edition of the Winter Games, in Pyeongchang (South Korea), four years ago, they competed as “neutral athletes”.
