IPC president says welcoming Afghan athletes “best moment†of Paralympic Games
Record ID:
1634258
IPC president says welcoming Afghan athletes “best moment†of Paralympic Games
- Title: IPC president says welcoming Afghan athletes “best moment†of Paralympic Games
- Date: 30th August 2021
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT ANDREW PARSONS, SAYING: "We are having fantastic Games here, the Games have exceeded my expectations, both in terms of the delivery, so thank you again to Tokyo 2020 organising committee, have been an incredible journey of eight and a half years since they were a bid committee, then they became an organising committee. We were prepared to deliver an incredible Games, then the pandemic hit really hard the world, and we needed to do a 180-degrees turn, a U-turn, in how we would deliver these Games together, and it's been really fantastic so far. We are providing a safe environment to the athletes, we are also protecting the Japanese population at the same time." INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPICS COMMITTEE AND TOKYO 2020 OFFICIALS STANDING UP, TOKYO 2020 CEO TOSHIRO MUTO (2ND LEFT) AND PARSONS (2ND RIGHT) BUMPING ELBOWS AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 13th September 2021 06:06
- Keywords: Afghanistan International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Japan Paralympic Games President Andrew Parsons Taliban Tokyo Tokyo 2020 athletes
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA003ESGZG3R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons on Monday (August 30) said that welcoming two newly arrived Afghan athletes was his personal "best moment" of the Games.
Zakai Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli arrived in Tokyo on Saturday (August 28) to compete in the 2020 Paralympics after Khudadadi made a video appeal for help to leave Kabul after the Taliban swept to power. Khudadadi, a Taekwondo athlete, and track athlete 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.
Parsons 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.
(Production: Joseph Campbell) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Olympic restriction: Clip cannot be re-published without additional clearances from the IOC.