The Beijing Paralympic Games will be affected by the change in the competition schedule on the 4th when the tournament starts, following the decision not to allow the RPC = Russian Paralympic Committee and Belarusian athletes to participate on the 3rd. I am.
At the Beijing Paralympics, RPC was supposed to compete in all six competitions and Belarus in two competitions, cross-country skiing and biathlon, but all three days after Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. Has been canceled.
In response to this, ice hockey, which RPC was supposed to participate in, announced a change in the competition schedule on the 4th.
Last year's 3rd place RPC in the World Championship was a qualifying league divided into two groups and was in the same group as the United States, Canada and South Korea, but this group was held by the remaining three teams and reached the semifinals. The way to decide which team to win has also changed.
In wheelchair curling, 12 teams including RPC were scheduled to play round-robin in the qualifying league, but all RPC games have disappeared and the qualifying league will be held by 11 teams.
Both of the excluded teams are winter Paralympic powerhouses who have won many medals, mainly cross-country skiing and biathlon, and the composition is likely to change significantly in some competitions.