Zambia will participate in the Paris Paralympics, although its athletes were absent from the opening ceremony. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) revealed on today that Zambia’s delegation had not confirmed their travel plans in time for the event. Consequently, the Zambian flag was not displayed during the ceremony on the Champs-Elysees.
IPC spokesperson Craig Spence explained that Zambia’s absence was due to a lack of communication and confirmation about their travel arrangements. However, confirmation was received on the morning of the ceremony. The two Zambian athletes are set to compete in para-athletics on September 4 and 5.
Despite the hiccup, the opening ceremony was hailed as a spectacular success, watched by over 10 million people on French television. Paris 2024 director of ceremony Thierry Reboul noted the ceremony’s impact on generating excitement for the Games, which are expected to break ticket sales records.
