Paralympic Games in Beijing: the banishment of Russians and Belarusians is good news

Virginie Phulpin 07:25, March 04, 2022

Today is the start of the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing.

The International Paralympic Committee has changed its mind.

Finally, it will be without the Russian team.

And it will avoid turning these games into a huge fiasco. 

Paralympic athletes are already struggling to exist, to be visible, even if there has been progress.

So if the Paralympic Committee had not reconsidered its decision by finally dismissing the Russian and Belarusian teams, these games were simply doomed to failure.

Given the number of protests generated by the initial position to make them compete anyway, the threats of boycotting the opening ceremony, the podiums and even the entire games by certain delegations, we would have talked about only that.

And we would have stolen from disabled athletes the only moment we see them at work.

Because for the moment, on TV and in the media in general, disabled sport still exists almost only during the Paralympic Games.

Once every 4 years.

Outside this period, it is the desert.

So let's not be ironic about this strange 180 degree turn made by the Paralympic Committee in barely 24 hours.

Let us rather remember that the CIP listened to the criticisms and heard the anger, that it recognized its error and corrected it.

It's not a fault to admit your mistakes.

And above all it avoids 10 days of heavy atmosphere in Beijing.

We don't really need that right now. 

This means that the war will take a back seat in Beijing, to give way to competitions.

She will always be in the minds, of course.

But we will also be able to take an interest in these games in a true Olympic spirit, if that really exists.

Yes, it's a shame for the Russian para-athletes of course.

They had already arrived in Beijing as well.

But the Paralympic Committee passed the message on to them.

It's not us who are taking your dream away from you, it's your government.

Later, we will attend an opening ceremony without boycott, without fear that everything will degenerate.

With a Ukrainian delegation of about thirty people to whom all eyes will be turned.

Just the fact that these athletes are indeed present in Beijing, that they have managed to arrive in China, is already a victory.

And then sorry,

but we won't forget either our French team and its flag bearer Benjamin Daviet, five-time medalist in Pyeongchang 4 years ago in Nordic skiing, and on whom we still rely to bring back medals.

18 French people are in Beijing, in alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and snowboarding.

14 athletes and 4 guides.

A small delegation, yes, but big ambitions.

And the joy of finding them.

They faced the pandemic to prepare, now they face the encroaching shadow of war.

But at least we didn't steal their games.

And the joy of finding them.

They faced the pandemic to prepare, now they face the encroaching shadow of war.

But at least we didn't steal their games.

And the joy of finding them.

They faced the pandemic to prepare, now they face the encroaching shadow of war.

But at least we didn't steal their games.