The International Paralympic Committee limited Ukrainians in expressing their views on the war.

Ukrainian athletes participating in the Summer Paralympics 2024 in Paris have been limited in their ability to express their views on the war. The National Paralympic Committee received a document regulating their behavior. This was reported by committee spokeswoman Natalia Garach during a telethon.

This document states how we should behave, where we can express our views, and what we can say. Thus, they restrict our freedom of speech, treating us, Paralympians, with a certain attitude, - Garach said.

The leadership of the National Paralympic Committee plans to meet with the head of the International Paralympic Committee to express their position regarding the participation of "neutral" athletes from Russia and Belarus in the Paris competitions.

Ukraine is represented at the Summer Paralympics by 140 athletes competing in 22 sports.

The first successes of Ukrainian athletes

Ukrainian swimmer Anton Kol won a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke in the S1 class at the 2024 Paralympic Games. This is the first award for the Ukrainian national team. Subsequently, Ukrainian swimmers won three more medals.

The Summer Paralympic Games 2024 began in Paris on August 28 and will last until September 8. The competitions will be attended by 4,400 athletes from 169 countries. A total of 549 sets of awards will be contested in 22 sports, and Ukraine will be represented by 140 athletes in 17 sports.

For our team, this is already the eighth Paralympics in Paris. At the previous Summer Paralympic Games, Ukrainian athletes won 98 awards, 24 of which were gold, and took sixth place in the medal standings.

Belarus and Russia participated in the Games in private status. There, their athletes will compete as neutrals. 85-90 Russians will be admitted to the competitions.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Ukrainian Paralympians on their first victories in Paris.