IOC President Bach skips Paralympic Games

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach skips the Paralympic Games. The 68-year-old German has informed his colleague Andrew Parsons of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that he is leaving China after a stay of more than four weeks. The Paralympic Games start on Friday, March 4.

Vice-President Ser Miang Ng will attend on behalf of the IOC. The Paralympic Winter Games in China last more than a week, until Sunday 13 March.

Parsons was missing from Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium at the opening of the Olympic Games two weeks ago. The 45-year-old Brazilian had to stay at home because of a corona infection. At the end of January, he announced via Twitter that he would follow all Olympic games on TV and prepare for the Paralympic Games.