A representative for the Ukrainian paralympic committee informed Reuters that Ukrainian biathlete Anastasiia Laletina was forced to withdraw from the middle distance sitting event at the Beijing Winter Paralympics on Tuesday (March 8) after her father was abducted by Russian forces.
Laletina’s father is a Ukrainian army soldier. He was apprehended, according to the spokeswoman, but no other information was available. The International Paralympic Committee has barred Russian and Belarussian athletes from competing in the Games following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last month, which Moscow described as a “special operation” to disarm the country.
Belarus has always served as a major staging place for Russian forces. The 19-year-old Latina was still in Zhangjiakou, the venue for the cross-country skiing and biathlon competitions, according to the spokeswoman, and will fly out to Poland with the rest of the group at the conclusion of the Games.
Ukraine continued to earn medals at the Games on Wednesday, claiming silver and bronze in cross-country skiing, despite earlier doubts about their participation. They are currently in third place in the standings, behind hosts China and Canada.
