Afghan Paralympic athletes have made ‘safe exit'

By Khalil Salhashour, Sayed Zafar Mehdi

ISTANBUL/TEHRAN (AA) - Two Paralympic athletes from Afghanistan have been safely evacuated from the country, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced on Wednesday, refusing to divulge details about their destination.

The global governing body for the Paralympic Movement that organizes the Paralympic Games said in a statement that taekwondo athlete Zakia Khodadadi and track and field athlete Hossein Rasouli have made a safe exit from Afghanistan.

The two athletes were supposed to represent Afghanistan at the Tokyo Paralympics that began Tuesday.

But after the war-ravaged country was plunged into chaos in the wake of the Taliban's takeover and collapse of the US-backed government in Kabul, the two athletes were among thousands of people stranded at the airport.

"Efforts have been made to get them out of Afghanistan, they are now in a safe place," IPC spokesman Craig Spence said on Wednesday, confirming their safe evacuation.

"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," he hastened to add.

He said the athletes have gone through "a very traumatic process" and are presently undergoing counseling and psychological help.

IPC had earlier announced that the Afghan athletes would no longer be able to take part in the marquee sports event in the Japanese capital.

The flag of Afghanistan carried by a volunteer at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics on Tuesday was for the symbolic purpose only.

"We are being kept in the loop about their whereabouts and their well-being," the spokesman further said, without commenting on their location.

However, according to some reports, Khodadadi and Rasouli are among 50 Afghan athletes and their dependents who have been accepted by the Australian government on humanitarian grounds.

Khudadadi, 23, would have been the first Afghan woman athlete to represent her country at the Paralympics. She had sought help to flee the country after the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul on Aug. 16.