Head of the Egyptian mission to the Paralympic games Hayat Khatab telephoned Sports Minister Khaled Abd el-Aziz and conveyed the players’ discontent over the media ignoring their matches and not broadcasting live coverage of the games.
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A giant conga-line of athletes snaked around the stadium to the cheers of thousands of fans who danced in the stands to Brazilian funk music.
Looking ahead to 2020, “W$3 e want Tokyo 2020 to be even better than Rio 2016, which was already much better than our participation in London 2012”, said Picciani.
“I send my good wishes to all those who have contributed to the success of these memorable Games”.
And Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike took the Paralympic flag in a symbolic handover to the next host city.
After being booed in his brief appearance at the opening ceremony, Brazil’s interim President Michel Temer did not attend.
Some 11 of the athletes for the first time participated in Paralympics.
Brazil President Michel Temer and Rio 2016 organising committee president Carlos Nuzman were both booed during their speeches following political unrest in the country, including over the cost of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics.
The British Paralympic team tweeted: “We are devastated by the news of Bahman Golbarnezhad’s passing”.
Chef de mission Penny Briscoe said the team delivered “an awesome, awe-inspiring performance”, from “the most competitive team at the most competitive Games”.
Television viewing figures for the Games reached an all-time high, according to paralympic.org, with organizers expecting the cumulative global TV audience for the event to top four billion people.
From Day Two onwards there were medal celebrations for the team, with the world’s fastest Paralympian Jason Smyth securing the first Irish medal of the Games, winning the gold in the T13 100m final to successfully defend his Paralympic title and complete a historic treble.
First time since 2004 that the men’s and women’s teams both reached the podium in goalball; the USA men won silver, while the women’s team brought home the bronze.
The Australians took home 22 gold medals, 30 silver and 29 bronze to finish fifth behind China, Great Britain, Ukraine and the United States. Nevertheless, the IPC decided on collectively punishing the Russian national team.
An investigation into the crash has begun, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said.
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The country settled for 10 silvers and 14 bronze for a total of 24 medals, not meeting the targeted 40 either. Seven of those medals went to athletes who have ties to Arizona.
