Paralympics Beijing, let’s go: the dreams of Italy, the exclusion of Russians and Belarusians

The echo of the war arrives in Beijing and a winter Paralympics that occurs without a part of the athletes who would have been protagonists. It could not have been otherwise after the war over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The International Paralympic Committee had initially allowed the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes such as Npa, neutral Paralympic athletes, therefore without anthem, flags and the possibility of participating in the medal table. However, several Paralympic Committees contested the decision, threatening not to participate in competitions where Russian and Ukrainian athletes were present. For this, the IPC then had to decree the exclusion of Russia and Belarus.

Bertagnolli

–

Not a good start for the Beijing Paralympics which opens on Friday with the Opening Ceremony (live on Rai2 at 12.55) and will close on March 13 after ten days of competitions in alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, para ice hockey , curling. Almost 600 athletes from 46 nations will participate in 78 events. The blue star is Giacomo Bertagnolli, 23, also chosen by Pancalli as standard-bearer at the Opening Ceremony. Visually impaired, he starts as a favorite in alpine skiing for athletes with visual impairments. Born and weaned to sport on the Trentino mountains of Cavalese, he is led by Andrea Ravelli, a former national level skier: “My parents put me on skis when I was three and I never stopped.” Jack, as he is called, athlete of the Fiamme Gialle, was already a protagonist at PyeongChang 2018, when he was making his debut, where he won four medals in the visually impaired category, then led by Fabrizio Casal, his schoolmate: double gold in giant and slalom, silver in super-G and bronze Downhill At the World Championships in Lillehammer a few weeks ago, despite a delayed arrival due to Covid, he won gold in the Giant and two silvers in slalom and parallel with Ravelli.

Italy

–

Big numbers are back, after a period of descent and reconstruction between Vancouver 2010 and Pyeongchang 2018. The Italian delegation will be composed of 32 athletes, including three guides for athletes with visual impairments, who will be engaged in four disciplines: para ice hockey, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and snowboarding. Work is also underway in view of Milan Cortina: 12 newcomers are present, even with the possibility of some surprises. Italy returns to be dyed pink, after the Korean Paralympics had not seen female participation. Martina Vozza is visually impaired, she will turn 18 in April and is the youngest athlete of her in the group. Led by Ylenia Sabidussi, they returned home from the Lillehammer World Championships with a bronze in slalom. Chiara Mazzel, thirty from Vigo di Fassa (she competes precisely for the Val di Fassa), also visually impaired due to glaucoma at the age of 20, is instead led by Fabrizio Casal, who in Pyeongchang won medals with Bertagnolli.

Pancalli

–

The blue delegation is renewed compared to the last edition. “They will give us emotions”, assures Luca Pancalli, president of the Paralympic Committee: “It is an ambitious team with great potential. It is a group led by highly experienced athletes, but with many rookies and a lower average age than in previous editions. A team that in the latest international challenges has shown that it can compete at a high level and can aim for important results in all disciplines. Thanks to the excellent work carried out by the Italian Paralympic Winter Sports Federation and the Italian Ice Sports Federation, led respectively by Tiziana Nasi and Andrea Gios. ”

Rai

–

As always, Rai’s commitment is remarkable, which will broadcast all the matches live and deferred on Rai2, RaiSport and RaiPlay. It starts in the night from 2 on Rai2, and then passes after 8 on RaiSport until around 14.30. The daily program “Gocce Azzurre” on Rai2 from 5.25pm, hosted by Lorenzo Roata, with connections from Beijing is also scheduled.