Tokyo Paralympics: IPC president says welcoming Afghanistan athletes 'best moment' of Games

Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Monday (August 30) said that welcoming athletes from Afghanistan at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020 was his personal "best moment".

Taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi and discus thrower Hossain Rasouli were evacuated from the Afghan capital a week ago and landed in Tokyo on a flight from Paris.

Parsons said he was able to see them in-person after they arrived, and promised that the IPC would "provide everything in our capacity" to ensure "the safest" and "calmest" environment for them to focus on their competitions.

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"We will provide everything in our capacity to make their (the Afghan Paralympians) lives, or their days here at the Paralympic Village, at the Paralympic Games, let's say, the safest, hopefully the calmest, but as something that they, moments that they could really focus on sport, and forget, for a few days at least, what they left behind, and the horror they have been through in their home nation," said Parsons.

"I was asked now during a few interviews this morning, what was my, what was the best moment so far in these Games, and to me of course, personally, was the moment when I had the opportunity to welcome them at Tokyo," he added.

Ever since the insurgent group Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the future of sports in the country has become uncertain, especially women's participation.

The athletes who were supposed to arrive in Tokyo on August 17, could not travel to Japan after the Taliban's control descended into complete chaos throughout the country especially at Kabul's international airport.

Later, an athlete made a video appeal for help to leave Kabul to take part in the Games as two athletes from Afghanistan finally arrived in Tokyo on Saturday (August 28) to participate in the ongoing Paralympics Games.

He also took the opportunity to praise the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, adding that this year's Paralympics, which last until September 5, have "exceeded" his expectations despite the limitations brought by the coronavirus pandemic.