QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Resurgent QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune Fawad Alam, bowlers ignite Pak hopes at Sabina Park page 15

TUESday, AUGUST 24, 2021

No athletes but Afghan flag at Liverpool block Salah from Paralympics in ‘sign of solidarity’ travelling to Egypt for Angola DPA “We will include the Tokyo Afghanistan flag in the cer- emony in a sign of solidar- Afghanistan’s flag will ity and we have invited the be present at the opening United Nations High Com- World Cup qualifier ceremony of the Tokyo Para- missioner for Refugees rep- lympics in “a sign of solidar- resentative here to act as the ity” after the nation’s ath- flag bearer,” Parsons said. DPA letes are unable to compete “We would like to have Berlin in Japan. them here, unfortunately it Commercial flights in is not possible, but they will Liverpool have refused to and out of Afghanistan have be here in spirit.” release Mohamed Salah to play been suspended since the The insidethegames.biz in Egypt’s upcoming World Taliban group gained con- portal said that two Afghan Cup qualifier with Angola be- trol of the country last week. athletes had qualified for the cause of quarantine restrictions As a result, Afghan ath- Paralympics which run until he would face on his return. letes can not make it to To- September 5. The Egyptian Football As- kyo but International Para- One Afghan will how- sociation released a statement lympic Committee (IPC) ever be competing, Abbas on Monday announcing that president Andrew Parsons Karimi, who fled the country Liverpool had informed the said on Monday their flag several years ago and is part governing body Salah would will be there at Tuesday’s of the refugee team at the not be allowed to join his coun- opening ceremony. Paralympics. try at their camp for the fixtures with Angola on September 2 and Gabon on September 5. “The Egyptian Football As- sociation has received a letter from Liverpool FC apologising for the inability of its player, Mohamed Salah, to join the national team in its next camp, which includes facing Angola in Cairo and Gabon in France- ville during the first and second rounds of the African conti- nent’s qualifiers for the World Cup,” the statement read. “The English club’s letter referred to the precautionary The Paralympics symbol is pictured in front of the National measures applied in England Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah with teammates ahead of the English Premier League against Burnley at Anfield on Saturday.(AFP) Stadium, the main venue of the games, ahead of the Tokyo 2020 to confront the outbreak of the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (AFP) coronavirus in the world, which ernment’s travel red list, Salah to resolve the issue. 29-year-old for Olympic duty. willing to let Salah play Gabon puts returnees from some would have to quarantine for Without exemptions, The Reds were however on September 5, as that will countries in compulsory health 10 days upon his return from Liverpool are also expected eager to ensure they had a take place in a country that is isolation for a period of 10 days the camp, meaning he would to block Brazil internation- star man fully rested and re- not on Britain’s red list. Quick read upon their return to England. miss Liverpool’s Premier als Alisson, Roberto Firmino charged ahead of the 2021-22 The Reds are however mak- “In this letter, the English League fixture with Leeds and Fabinho from travelling Premier League season, which ing it clear to all of their inter- Paralympics to let in thousands of club also expressed its hope United on September 12. for the Selecao’s next round of they have opened with back- national stars that they will not schoolchildren as spectators that the Egyptian Federation However, the club are re- qualifiers. to-back wins. release anyone who would be would understand that it was portedly happy for Salah to Brazil remains on the UK They also saw Salah con- forced to quarantine once re- Tokyo Paralympics organizers will let thousands of schoolchildren into forced to do so, in the face of travel to Franceville for the red list as one of the countries tract COVID-19 during a pre- turning to England. the arenas as spectators having previously barred paying fans because the player being subjected to a game against Gabon, which is worst affected by the pan- vious visit to his homeland in If isolation rules were to be of the coronavirus pandemic. “We are absolutely ready to welcome the quarantine for this period and on the UK’s amber list. Salah demic. Tite’s men visit Chile November 2020, when he at- relaxed or removed altogether, schoolchildren,” Japanese organizing committee spokesman Masa being affected by this physical- would not have to quarantine before hosting Argentina on tended his brother’s wedding. then players would be freed to Takaya said on Sunday. Around 130,000 schoolchildren are expected ly, as well as the uncertainty of after visiting the country. September 5. For now, Liverpool’s priority link up with their respective na- to attend the Paralympics, which start on Tuesday, amid tight COVID-19 the conditions determined by Liverpool and other mem- Goal.com adds: This is not when it comes to Salah is getting tions. protocols. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) would not have the English authorities. bers of the European Club the first time that Liverpool him tied to a new deal, while Alisson, Fabinho and Rob- supported the concept of school children filling the stands if they were It is reported that Liver- Association (ECA) are said to have prevented Salah from they are also hoping to see him erto Firmino would also fall not convinced of their safety, IPC spokesman Craig Spence said. Unlike pool FC took the same position have been seeking exemptions linking up with his country, reach 100 Premier League goals into this issue, as Brazil is an- normal spectators who would have travelled from different regions, with a number of its foreign to allow their players to avoid with the Egyptian FA left dis- - he currently sits on 98. other red list country and they school classes can be better checked, Takaya told dpa. players.” quarantine, while the Egyp- appointed by a decision from Liverpool are eager to have World Cup qualifiers As Egypt is on the UK Gov- tian FA has asked FIFA to try Anfield not to release the point out that they would be there. Refugee Paralympic Team in Tokyo wants to send message of hope to the people of Afghanistan DPA stands the journey you have Tokyo been on, but I do and that’s an important part of what made The Refugee Paralympic me who I am,” read his letter. Team (RPT) believe their pres- “You are role models now ence at the Tokyo Games can with the power to inspire oth- provide hope and solidarity for ers; make no mistake, what people being forced to flee Af- you are about to do in Tokyo ghanistan. will change people’s lives. Thousands of Afghans “There will be refugees have scrambled to leave their who through watching you home nation after the Tali- succeed will believe they can ban seized back control of the too.” Japan’s own poor record country. of accepting refugees was also The surge in numbers A file picture of Afghan refugee, swimmer Abbas Karimi who is at the questioned. comes on top of the 2.2 million Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Japan. The host nation has a sig- refugees already in neighbour- nificantly lower rate of accom- ing countries and 3.5 million Khalifa (canoeing), Ibrahim Al “I want to share with wom- modating asylum seekers than people left homeless within Hussein (swimming) and Alia en around with disabilities: other developed countries. Afghanistan’s borders. Issa (club throw). don’t stay at home. Try every Cuba-born Rodriguez, RPT chef de mission Il- Issa, who suffered brain day with sports to be outside who left for the United States eana Rodriguez, who will lead damage after contracting in the world. I hope that I am when she was a teenager in the a team of six athletes in the smallpox and will join Karimi the first example to follow. hope of finding better treat- Japanese capital, expressed as a flagbearer at Tuesday’s “I want to be an example ment for a malformation of the her support for those affected opening ceremony, will make for all the refugees to follow spine which left her paralysed, by the ongoing conflict and po- Members of the Paralympic Refugee team, Syrian-born Ibrahim al-Hussain (L), Iranian-born Shahrad history as the team’s first fe- their dreams.” A press confer- wants the Games to be a cata- litical instability. Nasajpour (top-C), Syrian-origin Greece-born Alia Issa (R) and the team’s chef de Mission Illeana Rodriguez male member and aims to in- ence to introduce the team was lyst for change. “Certainly it’s very sad (C) pose after a press conference in Tokyo on Monday, on the eve of the Tokyo Paralympic Games. (AFP) spire other women in similar preceded by a letter of support “We’re very grateful for the what’s happening in Afghani- situations. from Bayern Munich and Can- countries that home refugees stan and our heart goes out to have been working very hard to really support all the refu- refugee, swimmer Abbas Ka- “I never believed that I ada star Alphonso Davies. and we encourage countries all the people of Afghanistan,” to send a message of hope gees out there and make them rimi. would be the first woman The footballer was born that can support refugees to said the former Paralympic and make sure that this team feel hopeful and the same He is joined by Iranian ref- refugee Paralympian. It’s a in a refugee camp in Ghana do it,” she said. swimmer. shows that. message goes to the people of ugee Shahrad Nasajpour (dis- big honour for me to be in to Liberian parents who fled “We hope that that’s a “We are here represent- “I am sure these athletes Afghanistan, for sure.” cus), Burundian refugee Par- this team. I’m a little nervous the civil war in their home strong message that we can ing the people of the world are going to give all of what Rodriguez’s current team fait Hakizimana (taekwondo) about it,” said the 20-year-old, country. leave with the people of Japan who are refugees, so all of us they have during these Games already includes one Afghan and Syrian refugees Anas Al who lives in Greece. “Not everyone under- as well.”