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Ukraine Could Boycott Sochi Winter Paralympics

Ukraine Set To Boycott Sochi Winter Paralympics
The Huffington Post UK/PA
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Ukraine may boycott the Winter Paralympics in Sochi amid the escalating political crisis.

The president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee made an emotional plea for peace on the eve of the opening ceremony, describing the toll the growing fear of conflict between Russia and his country was having on his team.

Valeriy Suskevich had to fight back tears as he explained how concerned his 23 athletes were about the situation back home, saying almost all of them were "very nervous" and "very afraid".

"Almost all of my sportsmen on the ice cry," he said.

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The Ukraine team arrive at the welcome ceremony on Thursday

The Ukrainian team made their feelings known as they chanted "Peace for Ukraine" following their welcome ceremony, which they cut short, and Suskevich admitted he could not envisage them competing without a peaceful resolution to the dispute over the Crimea region.

"This Paralympic Games is a unique situation," he said. "Never before in the history of the Paralympic movement was there a situation like this.

"My sportsmen dream about participating, but not without the Ukrainian people. The national team represents the Ukrainian people, it's not separate. For us it's very important be together with our people.

"The Paralympic movement is the achievement of mankind, the greatest achievement. It's not possible that this achievement can be combined with military (action), with war.

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President Putin attended the welcome ceremony on Thursday

"Peace for my country is the foundation for the decision concerning the participation of Ukraine in the Paralympic Games."

Suskevich called on world leaders to help his country, but sounded a downbeat note when asked if he was afraid there would not be peace, saying: "Yes, I'm afraid."

Suskevich was due to meet with his team, as well as members of the Russian Paralympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, to decide on what course of action to take.

How Tensions In Ukraine Became So High
The Orange Revolution(01 of18)
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In 2004, newly-elected Yanukovych was ousted by Western-leaning Viktor Yushchenko and Yulia Tymoshenko after mass rallies known as the Orange Revolution (credit:Getty Images)
Yanukovych Re-Elected(02 of18)
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But Yanukoych was re-elected in 2010 after Tymoshenko and Yushchenko were dogged by allegations of corruption. In 2013, he announced he would no longer seek closer ties with the EU, after economic pressure from Russia (credit:AP)
And then this kicked off(03 of18)
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The Euromaidan movement in Kiev's Independence Square, with 100,000 people demanding Ukraine move away from Russia and closer to Europe
Occupying the square(04 of18)
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In December, Ukraine's riot police violently broke up the occupation of the square, where barricades and a tent city had been built, saying it had to install a Christmas tree, and protesters fought back
The new anti-protest law(05 of18)
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Come 2014, Yanukovych's government effectively banned all forms of protest, including wearing of masks and helmets without police permission. And that's when it properly kicked off... (credit:PA)
#Euromaidan explodes(06 of18)
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Protesters battled with riot police, with molotov cocktails, barricades of burning tyres, and were attacked with rubber bullets and water cannons (credit:AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
The bodies mount up(07 of18)
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As the violent clashes continued through February, 95 people were killed, many by snipers
Kiev in ruins(08 of18)
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Protesters set up make-shift morgues and hospitals in hotels, just off the Maidan (credit:Getty Images)
Agreement reached(09 of18)
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On February 19, Ukraine's government and opposition leaders agreed a truce, including a promise of new elections, and people gathered at makeshift shrines to mourn the dead (credit:LEHTIKUVA / Vesa Moilane)
A manhunt begins(10 of18)
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Yanukovych fled to Ukraine's Russian-leaning east, sparking a man-hunt and calls for him to be prosecuted for mass murder (credit:Vesa Moilanen/STT-Lehtikuva/Press Association Images)
Ukraine's new leaders(11 of18)
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Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison, where she was serving time for corruption and opposition leader Olexander Turchynov was named interim president (credit:Darko Bandic/AP/Press Association Images)
Inside the president's palace(12 of18)
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Ukrainians raided Yanukovch's lavish residence, finding a zoo and and golden furniture (credit:Efrem Lukatsky/AP)
But Ukraine is still divided(13 of18)
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February 27th, Pro-Russian protesters in Crimea, a predominantly ethnic Russian peninsula, raised the Russian flag in parliament, as armed men wearing no official insignia seized two local airports (credit:Sergei Vaganov/AP)
Yanukovych Appears(14 of18)
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Yanukovych turns up in (surprise, surprise) Russia, and insists he remains the president of the country. Vladimir Putin then requests the use of Russian forces in Ukraine to protect its interests (credit:Pavel Golovkin/AP)
Russia mobilises(15 of18)
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Russian soldiers, who have bases in Crimea, advance on Ukrainian military bases, sparking anger from European and US politicians, with the UK, US and Canada pulling out of the G8 summit (credit:Kochetova Julia/ABACA)
The face-off at Belbek airbase(16 of18)
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Ukrainian soldiers, carrying their blue and yellow flag, advanced unarmed toward heavily-armed Russian troops, with one Russian firing three warning shots, the first shots of the conflict (credit:Ivan Sekretarev/AP)
Crimea votes to be part of Russia(17 of18)
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On March 6, Crimea's parliament said it has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin "to start the procedure" of formally allowing Crimea to join the Russian Federation and says it will hold a referendum (credit:Sergei Grits/AP)
Could Russia go further?(18 of18)
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With the threat still lingering that Russia could invade parts of eastern Ukraine, leaders are meeting to discuss possible sanctions, but the situation remains tense in the divided nation (credit:Sergei Chuzavkov/AP)

The Ukrainian Committee has given the IPC the name of a flag bearer for the opening ceremony and completed all the administration necessary to take part in the event.

Great Britain will have no political representation at the ceremony after ministers agreed to boycott the Games. Prince Edward has pulled out of attending on the advice of the Government.

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Millie Knight will carry the flag into the stadium for Great Britain

But it will be a hugely proud occasion for 15-year-old alpine skier Millie Knight, who will carry the flag into the stadium.

The action gets under way on Saturday, when Britain's visually-impaired skiers Kelly Gallagher and Jade Etherington, along with guides Charlotte Evans and Caroline Powell, and sit-skier Anna Turney compete in the women's downhill, while the wheelchair curling team get their campaign under way against Canada.

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