Milan: The conflict escalation in the Middle East is impacting the arrival of some delegations and other stakeholders to the Milan/Cortina Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said in a statement on Monday.
According to Ghana News Agency, the IPC mentioned that the 'closure of airspace in the Middle East is impacting the arrival of some stakeholders' but refrained from commenting on the status of individual delegations or stakeholders at this stage. The committee emphasized that it is 'working diligently' with organizers to find solutions for those affected.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday in Verona. However, due to the attacks launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, and Iranian counterattacks, air traffic in large parts of the region has mostly come to a standstill. The IPC stated it is 'closely monitoring' the situation and assessing the available information to determine the impact on the Paralympics.
The committee acknowledged the broader implications of the situation, highlighting its effects not just on the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) competing at the Games but also on its wider membership. It expressed concern for the people affected, stating that their thoughts are with those impacted by the ongoing conflict.
The Paralympic Games are scheduled to take place from Friday until March 15.