In a show of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, it has been decided that the Afghan flag rejected by the Taliban will be used as a symbol of “solidarity and peace” at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games kicks off on Tuesday night in Japan, reports CNN.
The Afghanistan flag at the Paralympic Games opening ceremony 🇦🇫 #Afghanistan #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/RXvaxSpp9b
— Miriam Walker-Khan (@mimwalkerkhan) August 24, 2021
The 16th Summer Paralympics was also delayed due to the pandemic and President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Andrew Parsons said he was determined the Paralympics would be held safely.
“One of the questions I am asked very often is, ‘can we have safe Games?’ and the answer is yes, we would not be here if we did not believe we could deliver safe Games,” he said.
Parsons also confirmed that Afghanistan’s flag will be incorporated into the opening ceremony parade despite Afghan athletes pulling out of the Games due to flights being canceled from the country after the Taliban seized the capital Kabul, with thousands of people trying to flee the new regime.
“We will include the Afghanistan flag in the ceremony in a sign of solidarity and we have invited the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative here to act as the flagbearer,” Parsons told reporters.
“It is important to highlight that as it is a message of solidarity and peace that we send to the world,”. “We would like to have them here, unfortunately it is not possible, but they will be here in spirit, he added,.”
The Taliban who are against women going outside without male supervision has led to many sportswomen from Afghanistan not participate in this event for fear of being punished under the Islamic Sharia law.
In a statement to CNN Sport last week, the IPC said it was “supportive of the practice of sport as a basic human right.”
“Every individual should have the possibility to play sport and no-one should be discriminated against because of their disability, gender, sexual preference, race or religion,” it added.
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