Ukraine decide against Paralympics boycott because of Russia’s incursion into Crimea

UKRAINE will compete in the Sochi Winter Paralympics after deciding against a boycott in protest against Russia’s intervention in Crimea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin pictured with athletes after visiting the mountain Paral

UKRAINE will compete in the Sochi Winter Paralympics after deciding against a boycott in protest of the threat of conflict with host nation Russia in Crimea.

The team decided against a boycott over the threat of Russian conflict on the Crimean peninsula but has promised to leave “at the very second” of any escalating violence in its home country.

The announcement came just six hours before the opening ceremony, which will be attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin at Fisht Stadium.

Mr Suskevich met with Mr Putin on Thursday night and relayed the request of one of his athletes to “prevent any step leading to war”.

Putin signs a board in the Paralympic village ahead of the opening of the games.

“We are staying at the Paralympic Games in order to be remembered of the state which sent a unified, independent sovereign state, sending its national team here to participate in the Paralympic Games,” Mr Suskevich said.

“This meeting (with Mr Putin) was within the context of my request for peace during the Paralympic Games.

“I reiterated for Mr Putin, one request, during the Paralympic Games we would have peace.

“Support the right of a human being, including that from the Ukraine, a Paralympic athlete, for peace in one’s home country.

“Let’s do something in order to achieve peace and peace would stem from the Paralympics.”

Ukrainian athletes practice ahead of the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi.

Uncertainty over whether Ukraine would participate in the Games intensified on Thursday night when its 31 athletes left their flag-raising ceremony early and marched through the athletes’ village chanting ‘peace to Ukraine’.

“The values of the Paralympic movement and Olympic movement are always connected with peace and truce,” Mr Suskevich said.

“All the military actions have to stop during the Olympic Games, war and the Olympic and Paralympic ideals cannot be combined.

“I cannot think of a single occasion when a host nation would start an intervention during the Paralympic Games, intervening in the territory of a country that is a participant.

“Under these circumstances ... my vision is to join with all the sports, with the Paralympic family, with the organisers.

A woman wearing a traditional Ukrainian headband demonstrates outside the Russian Embassy in Paris.

“Do just one thing, don’t let us start the war during the Paralympic Games so we have peace.

“I am praying to God, so that the Paralympic Games help us keep peace in Europe, in the world and in my home country.”

Crimea is just 500km from where the Paralympics are being staged on the Black Sea.

Several nations, including Canada and Great Britain, have abandoned plans to send an official delegate to the Games in protest of Russia’s military stand-off with Ukraine in Crimea.

Australia never planned to send a representative to Sochi for the Games, which run from March 7-16.

German Paralympic champion Verena Bentele. Her country won’t send representatives as a protest against the Crimean intervention.

Despite the political uncertainty and security fears which have overshadowed preparations for the Games, organisers have promised to deliver the greatest Winter Paralympics ever.

The organising committee said on Friday that 283,000 tickets to the five sports had already been sold — which surpassed ticket sales in Vancouver in 2010 — and were headed for a sellout.

But concerns over snow conditions continued with Australian downhill training cancelled after a sinkhole was discovered on the course and required more than three hours of work to repair it.

Australia’s Melissa Perrine trains for the visually impaired downhill ski event.

Speaking an hour before the Ukraine announcement, International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven said it would be “sport, sport all the way” from Saturday, when competition begins with downhill skiing where Australian Melissa Perrine will be racing for gold.

“Politicians have their job, athletes have their job and we are here for sport,” Mr Craven said.

“We are here for sport, particularly for the athletes and their performances.

“And by being on the inside, being part of this wonderful sports festival, this is a great opportunity to show your athletic prowess, your pride in your nation and to show that you are with the other 44 nations who are here and competing in great Paralympic sport.”