CORTINA (ITALPRESS) – “We cannot choose when to be democratic according to the outcome of the decisions of the General Assembly.” Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, at a press conference in Cortina defends the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes with hymns and flags to the Winter Paralympics of Milan-Cortina. Parsons cites the general assembly last September, where he voted to revoke the previously imposed partial suspension: “It was a democratic process conducted in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Statute of the IPC and 177 of the 211 Member Committees were present to vote. I recognize that this decision has not been welcomed in some parts of the world. I would like to stress that the ICP is a global democratic organization whose decisions on members’ suspension are determined by the members themselves. Last September was the third time the general assembly voted on this issue. In 2022 he voted for the suspension, in 2023, the partial suspension; in 2025, no suspension. And every time the ICP has respected and implemented the decision made by our members, as we are required to do by our statute.” Parsons did not hide from being “surprised to see that the issue exploded again since it was a decision taken four or five months ago. I have released several interviews on the issue and I have explained many times the situation to media representatives.”.
As for the situation in the Middle East, the Ipc “is monitoring the situation and continues to collect, confirm and evaluate the available information to determine the impact on these Games and the paralympic movement”.
“Italy seems to be the second home of the Paralympic Movement, having hosted the first Paralympic Games in 1960 and, of course, twenty years ago, the Winter Games of Turin 2006.” What is about to start will be a record edition for participations, “with 612 athletes from 56 National Paralympic Committees. The previous record was 564 athletes from 48 delegations to PyeongChang 2018,” he added.
IPC “RISPETTIAMO DECISIONE DI CHI NON CI SARÀ A CERIMONIA VERONA”
“At the moment, we are aware of seven National Paralympic Committees that will not participate for political reasons. We respect this decision.” He said this at the press conference in Cortina Craig Spence, chief brand and communications officer of the International Paralympic Committee, on the boycott announced by some countries for the inaugural ceremony of the Winter Paralympics of Milan-Cortina scheduled tomorrow in Verona. The boycott concerns the choice of the ICP to re-enter Russian and Belarusian athletes with hymns and flags and, according to Spence, the Committees who decided not to attend the ceremony tomorrow are those of Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
