A bit of politics is apparently allowed in these bad times at the Paralympics – and the German delegation is a role model. At the involuntarily most political disabled games in history in Beijing, messages of peace are apparently not automatically banned, contrary to the actually clear rules.
“It’s difficult to say. That’s a theoretical question,” said President Andrew Parsons of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) of the German Press Agency when asked whether political messages would be severely punished at the current games in Beijing: “If something like that happens , we have to see who, when and where.” Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter actually forbids any “political, religious or racist demonstration” at the Olympics and Paralympics around the competitions.
Paralympics: Games under special circumstances
But the Ukraine war could prompt the IPC to exercise its discretionary powers. “We will never have a purely political event. We will not allow that,” said Parsons. But the games in Beijing are taking place “under special circumstances in view of the terrible war in Ukraine. At the moment the world needs signs. And we want to set signs like that.” Parsons had even led the way. His widely acclaimed speech at the opening ceremony, which he ended with a loud call for peace without naming Russia, was “not a political message, but one of peace.”
While his speech was partially censored on Chinese state television by not being fully translated and rather paraphrasing it, he “received a lot of positive reactions,” Parsons said. “Even today I get messages that that was the right sign. That’s the message the Paralympics and I’m glad I got to be the bearer of that message.”
IPC boss: praise for the gesture of the German delegation
The Brazilian rated the gesture of the German delegation, which took off their caps during the opening ceremony “as a sign of solidarity and commemoration for the victims in Ukraine”, showed the peace sign and paused briefly, as very positive and thus almost exemplary. Because the sign came too early, it was not seen on the international TV signal.
“I didn’t notice it during the ceremony either. But after that,” said Parsons, explaining that the message still got through: “It was a good gesture not to interrupt the opening ceremony and still seek an opportunity, respect and solidarity to show. That’s the spirit of the games.”
Source: Stern
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