Lithuanians will not broadcast the opening of the Paralympics due to the participation of Belarusians and Russians

Photo: Andrea Amato/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Due to the participation of Russia and Belarus, the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT will not broadcast the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympic Games, writes Delfi.lt.

After the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in this year's Winter Paralympic Games under their national flags, the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) announced that it would not broadcast the opening ceremony of the Games.

"We are glad for the opportunity to broadcast the Paralympic Games to Lithuanian viewers, especially this year when, after a long break, we will see a representative of our country. However, we cannot agree with the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their flags and join the initiative of the Baltic broadcasters not to broadcast the opening ceremony," said Gitis Aganauskas, Deputy General Director of the public broadcaster.

The ceremony will also not be broadcast by public broadcasters of Latvia, Estonia, and Finland.

"This decision was made after the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Paralympic Games, where they will represent their countries," the statement said.

The Lithuanian delegation will also not participate in the opening ceremony – Lithuania's sole representative, Rapolas Misevičius, will not be presented at the opening. The Lithuanian Paralympic Committee issued a statement noting that aggressors have no place at the Games.

The Winter Paralympic Games will take place from March 6 to 15 in the same locations in northern Italy where the Olympics were held.

Early last week, the IPC admitted Belarusian and Russian athletes to the Paralympics, so four Belarusian and six Russian athletes will be able to compete under their national flags.

Four Belarusian quotas are allocated for cross-country skiing. Russia received two spots each in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.

Athletes will participate in six sports across two categories: snow sports (alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, and snowboarding) and ice sports (sledge hockey and wheelchair curling).

During the 2022 Paralympics (March 4–13, 2022), Belarusian and Russian athletes were suspended from competitions due to the start of the full-scale war. Moreover, they were suspended one day before the start of the competitions.

For participation in the regular Olympic Games in 2024 and 2026, Russian and Belarusian athletes were admitted in a neutral status without the use of flags or anthems, and the participation of biathletes and hockey players was prohibited.

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