Although Afghan athletes have been unable to take part in the Tokyo Paralympic games, their flag still appeared at the opening ceremony on Tuesday.
Two Afghan athletes, Zakia Khudadadi and Hossain Rasouli had been set to represent Afghanistan in Para-taekwondo.
The pair were among thousands of people unable to leave the country after the Taliban seized power, but the International Paralympic Committee has since confirmed that they have been safely evacuated.
“Efforts have been made to remove them from Afghanistan. They are now in a safe place,” said IPC spokesman Craig Spence.
“I’m not going to tell you where they are because this isn’t about sport, this is about human life and keeping people safe. Obviously, they’ve been through a very traumatic process, they’re undergoing counseling and psychological help.”
Khudadadi, 23, was set to be the first woman to represent Afghanistan at the Paralympics and had appealed for help to flee the country after the Taliban takeover.
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SOURCE: BBCNEWS
