3 months ago
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A PARALYMPICS 2024 athlete vanished in Paris days before the opening ceremony.
An inquest has now been opened into the “worrying disappearance” of the Rwandan athlete, who is a sitting volleyball team player.
A Rwandan athlete competing at the Paralympics has been reported missingAccording to Huffington Post, she arrived with the Rwandan team earlier this month before making base at the Courbevoie camp in Hauts-de-Seine.
On August 20, she left the group to go to a restaurant but never returned.
And on Tuesday, the president of the Rwandan Olympic Committee visited the local police station to report her disappearance.
An investigation has now been opened by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office.
A statement on Wednesday morning, just hours before the Paralympics opening ceremony, confirmed “the referral to the BRDP (the Brigade for the Suppression of Crimes against Persons) as part of an investigation into a worrying disappearance.”
The Rwandan ambassador has since visited the location of the athlete’s disappearance.
She was due to compete in her nation’s opening sitting volleyball match against Brazil later today.
Rwanda also face Slovenia and Canada in their group.
All of the events taking place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics
Each sport is broken down into subcategories giving athletes the chance to compete on equal terms with those who have a similar impairment.
Here are the events:
- Para archery
- Para athletics
- Para badminton
- Blind football
- Boccia
- Para canoe
- Para cycling
- Para equestrian
- Goalball
- Para judo
- Para powerlifting
- Para rowing
- Shooting Para sport
- Sitting volleyball
- Para swimming
- Para table tennis
- Para taekwondo
- Para triathlon
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair fencing
- Wheelchair rugby
- Wheelchair tennis
A Paris 2024 Paralympics spokersperson said: “Paris 2024 has been informed of the disappearance of a member of the Rwandan delegation accredited for the Paralympic Games.
“We are in contact with the Rwandan National Paralympic Committee and supporting them on this matter. An investigation has been opened.”
It’s not the first case of disappearance of a sportsperson this summer.
In July a member of Cuba’s Olympic staff went missing after arriving in Paris.
Meanwhile, at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, three Sri Lankan team members disappeared.
Two were eventually found but the third remains missing.
Channel 4's Paralympics Line-Up
Channel 4 have a star-studded line-up of hosts and pundits for their coverage of the 2024 Paralympics
The presenting team is headed up by former Paralympian turned TV host Ade Adepitan.
Five-time Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds is making her debut with the broadcaster, alongside actress, producer and former Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Veteran sports broadcaster Clare Balding also appears on-screen, as does racing-driver-turned-commentator Billy Monger and Invictus Games medallist and presenter JJ Chalmers.
The line-up also includes adventurer and former rugby union player Ed Jackson, TV and radio presenter Vick Hope, comedian Josh Pugh and sports presenter Lee McKenzie.
There’s also an experienced team who are there to commentate, including in the athletics, the wheelchair rugby and the equestrian events.
Further expert analysis comes courtesy of multi-Paralympic medallist Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson and Paralympic gold-medal sprinter Libby Clegg.
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