Afghanistan flag included without athletes

TOKYO: Though their home-based athletes and representatives could not make it to Tokyo for the Paralympic Games, Afghanistan's flag was carried as part of the Opening Ceremony parade here on Tuesday.

Zakia Khudadadi, who is the first female athlete from Afghanistan to qualify for the Paralympic Games in taekwondo, and some National Paralympic Committee (NPC) officials could not make it to the Games because of the chaos in the country after the Taliban ousted the elected government and took control of the country. Flights to and from the country are not operational following the regime change and that was one of the reasons why the team could not make it to Tokyo.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) decided to include the Afghanistan flag in solidarity with the athletes who were denied a chance to participate in the Paralympic Games. IANS

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