According to Reuters, the President of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee Valeriy Sushkevych called it a “miracle” that they were there.
Five-time Paralympic medalist Maksym Yorovyi was Ukraine’s flag bearer. He led the remainder of the 20-person delegation to the Beijing National Stadium, marking the start of the Paralympics. Many team members, dressed in their trademark yellow and blue colors, walked out of the stadium with fists raised.
Sushkevych recalled the difficult journey many had to take to reach the Paralympics. The Paralympics banned Russian athletes from participating. According to Sushkevych, not attending the Games would have been “taking an easy option”.
According to Reuters, “Our presence at Paralympics does not merely signify that Ukraine is and will continue to be a country.”
Sushkevych claimed that he was forced to sleep on the bus’s floor for two days, while the other members of the delegation had escaped missiles in order to flee Ukraine. He said that it took him four days to reach Beijing.
“It’s amazing that we’re here… Part of our team was already in Ukraine. One part of our team was already in Ukraine. Sushkevych stated that all the equipment needed was available in Ukraine. We had to combine them all.”
He said that he was not sure if the Games would lead to them returning to their homeland.
Sushkevych stated, “I don’t know… it’s not easy going home.” “I hope that the international community makes a step at the Paralympics in order to end this war.”
