Over 260 athletes will be taking part in the contests.
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“The Paralympic sports in Russia will continue receiving support, attention and care on behalf of the authorities”, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said at the official opening ceremony of the alternative games organised just outside Moscow here on Wednesday, reports Tass.
The country is competing in the 2016 games with total of 79 athletes, including 49 physically handicapped athletes, 29 visually handicapped athletes, and one with mental disabilities, called a special athlete.
The head of the Belarusian Paralympic Committee, Oleg Shepel, later said this was done in “a gesture of solidarity” with the Russian team barred from the Games over the unconfirmed anti-doping rule violations, the Belta news agency reported.
Caught in political and economic crises, Rio 2016 organizers have skimped as far as they can on food, transport and accommodation.
Organizers say 1.6 million tickets have been sold, but that’s short of the 2.5 million available.
There are more than 4,300 athletes from 159 nations – plus two refugees representing an independent team – at the Games which begin on Thursday and continue until September 18.
The record of 41 career gold medals won by blind American swimmer Trischa Zorn between 1980 and 2004 looks unbeatable, but the Paralympics will inevitably produce new stars.
When the curtain comes up for 4,300 athletes at Wednesday’s opening ceremony, nearly everything will be scaled back: venues, seating, and staffing.
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China will have its biggest ever team of 308 athletes in Rio looking to beat their 95 gold medals from London when they topped the table for the third straight Paralympics. Participants will compete in seven sport disciplines, and workshops will be held for the remaining 11 sports.
