Ukrainian paralympic team will quit Sochi 'if conflict escalates'
- 10 years ago
The head of the Ukrainian paralympic team has said his athletes will stay in Sochi for now but would quit if there were an escalation in the conflict or if Russia invaded Ukraine.
Valeriy Sushkevich said he had met personally with Putin and asked him to guarantee peace during the Games. Putin had apparently replied saying he would think about his words.
The Games take place at Sochi with the ongoing crisis in Crimea just 600 kilometres away, along the Black Sea coast.
The opening ceremony will happen on Friday evening.
Several countries including Britain, the US, Poland and Canada have cancelled plans to send their government ministers in protest over events in Crimea.
Putin has said that any boycott of the Paralympics over Ukraine would be “the height of cynicism”.
Valeriy Sushkevich said he had met personally with Putin and asked him to guarantee peace during the Games. Putin had apparently replied saying he would think about his words.
The Games take place at Sochi with the ongoing crisis in Crimea just 600 kilometres away, along the Black Sea coast.
The opening ceremony will happen on Friday evening.
Several countries including Britain, the US, Poland and Canada have cancelled plans to send their government ministers in protest over events in Crimea.
Putin has said that any boycott of the Paralympics over Ukraine would be “the height of cynicism”.