The 10-day Winter Paralympics opened Friday in Beijing, while athletes from Russia and Belarus were forced home. The Paralympics Committee Organizers reversed their announcement from the previous day that the two countries would be included in the Beijing competition. Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, stated at the ceremonies, “As the leader of an organization with inclusion at its core, where diversity is celebrated and differences embraced, I am horrified at what is taking place in the world right now.” Chinese state television did not translate Parsons’ criticism of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and lowered the volume of his speech in English. Athletes from other nations threatened to boycott the games if Russia competed. The Russian Paralympic Committee responded that the decision is “absolutely politicized.” The Paralympics competition consists of six sports including a biathlon, hockey, snowboarding, curling, alpine skiing, and cross-country skiing. There are approximately 564 athletes …