Paralympics Open in Empty Stadium – Just Like Olympics
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ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021 16 Athletes from Bahrain enter the stadium during the open- ing ceremony for the 2020 Paralympics at the National Stadium in Tokyo. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Shaqiri joins Lyon Dybala ‘recalled’ for Paralympics open in empty upcoming qualifiers BUENOS AIRES, Aug 24, (AP): Striker Paulo Dybala was called up to the Argentina squad for the fi rst time in almost two years Monday after an impres- sive start to the season with Ju- ventus. stadium – just like Olympics Dybala was included in the squad for three upcoming World Cup qualifi ers in September, with veteran Sergio Aguero out injured. Coach Lionel Scaloni in- cluded most of the players who won the Copa America in July, Argentina’s fi rst major title in almost 30 years. Lionel Messi, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and striker Angel Di María, the scorer of the winning goal against host Brazil in the fi nal, were all called up. Dybala was part of the 2019 Copa Ameri- ca squad and has played 29 games in total for Ar- gentina. Argentina Dybala are second in South American qualifying with 12 points from six matches. The team have away games against Venezuela and leaders Brazil before hosting Bolivia in Bue- nos Aires. Defender Cristian Romero and midfi elder Leandro Paredes are suspended for the fi rst game. Squad: Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Emiliano Mar- tínez (Aston Villa), Juan Musso (Atalanta), Gerónimo Rulli (Vil- larreal). Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Marcos Acuña (Sevilla), Na- huel Molina (Udinese), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfi ca), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina), Germán Pezzella (Betis), Lisandro Mar- tínez and Nicolás Tagliafi co (Ajax). Fireworks are set off during the Paralympic Opening Ceremony over the Olympic Stadium for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo. Inset: Athletes wave after lighting the Paralympic caul- Midfi elders: Rodrigo De Paul dron during the opening ceremony. (AP) (Atletico Madrid), Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint Germain), Giovani Lo Celso (Totten- Athlete tests positive for virus Striker becomes Hammers all-time leading scorer in EPL era ham), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Guido Rodríguez TOKYO, Aug 24, (AP): Parsons and Seiko Hashimoto, the (Betis), Nicolás Domínguez president of the Tokyo organizing (Bologna), Emiliano Buendía The Paralympics began committee, say the Paralympics can be Antonio leads West Ham to 2nd straight win (Aston Villa) and Alejandro Gó- Tuesday in the same empty held safely. Both have tried to distance mez (Sevilla). LONDON, Aug 24, (AP): Michail National Stadium - during the Paralympics and Olympics from nities for people to fl ourish in society.” Antonio’s record goal for West Ham Tokyo’s rising infection rate. Archer Matt Stutzman was born the same pandemic - as the “For the moment we don’t see the was sealed with a kiss. SOCCER with no arms, just stumps at the shoul- The fun-loving striker became the opening and closing cere- correlation between having the Para- ders. He holds a world record - for any lympics in Tokyo with the rising num- London club’s all-time leading scor- Forwards: Lionel Messi and monies of the recently com- archer, disabled or otherwise - for the er in the Premier League era, moving ber of cases in Tokyo and Japan,” Par- longest, most accurate shot, hitting a Ángel Di María (París Saint- pleted Tokyo Olympics. sons told The Associated Press. onto 49 goals by netting twice in a Germain), Lautaro Martínez target at 310 yards, or about 283 me- 4-1 win over 10-man Leicester at the Japanese Emperor Naruhito got Some medical experts say even if ters. (Inter Milan), Nicolás González there is no direct link, the presence of the Olympic Stadium . (Fiorentina), Ángel Correa it all started again, this time un- Wheelchair fencer Bebe Vivo con- der the theme “We Have Wings.” Olympics and Paralympics promoted a Antonio’s fi rst - a close-range shot (Atletico Madrid), Paulo Dy- false sense of security and prompted peo- tracted meningitis as a child and to Among the few on hand were save her life, doctors amputated both on the turn to make it 3-1 in the 80th bala (Juventus), Julián Álvarez ple to let down their guard, which may - moved him past Paolo Di Canio’s (River Plate) and Joaquín Cor- Douglas Emhoff, husband of U.S. have helped spread the virus. her forearms and both her legs at the rea (Lazio). Vice President Kamala Harris, In- knees. previous record mark of 47 and he The Paralympics are about ath- celebrated by running to the sideline ❑ ❑ ❑ ternational Paralympic Commit- letic prowess. The origin of the word “So many people told me that it was impossible to do fencing without and raising aloft a cardboard cut-out Switzerland playmaker tee President Andrew Parsons and is from “parallel” - an event running alongside the Olympics. any hands,” Vivo said in a recent in- of himself. Xherdan Shaqiri ended his International Olympic President terview. “So it was so important to me Spinning around to cheers from a three-year spell at Liverpool by Thomas Bach. Markus Rehm - known as the “Blade Jumper” - lost his right leg to demonstrate and show people that it packed crowd, Antonio - whose goal West Ham’s Michail Antonio, joining French club Lyon for a It was a circus-like opening with doesn’t matter if you don’t have hands, celebrations often provide amuse- (right), holds aloft a cardboard cut- acrobats, clowns, vibrant music and below the knee when he was 14 in a reported fee of $13 million . or you don’t have legs or whatever. If ment - fi nished his routine by plant- out of himself as he celebrates after Shaqiri scored eight goals in fi reworks atop the stadium to mark the wakeboarding accident, but earlier scoring his side’s third goal during this year he jumped 8.62 meters, a you have a dream and you really want ing a kiss on himself before tossing 63 appearances for Liverpool, the start of the long parade of athletes. to achieve it, just go and take it.” the English Premier League soccer with whom he won the Premier “I cannot believe we are fi nally distance that would have won the last the cut-out to the ground. match between West Ham United seven Olympics, including the Tokyo Stutzman and Vivo are both set to He said the celebration was based League and Champions League. here,” Parsons said in his opening re- compete in Tokyo and have already and Leicester City and at the Lon- Shaqiri, who helped Switzer- marks. “Many doubted this day would Games. Tokyo’s winning long jump on 2001 movie “Save The Last don Stadium in London. (AP) was 8.41 meters. won medals in previous games, super- Dance” and was preplanned, hav- land reached the quarterfi nals happen. Many thought it impossible. stars who told their stories last year at Euro 2020, failed to establish But thanks to the efforts many, the “The stigma attached to disability ing placed the cut-out behind West goals so far, having beaten Newcas- changes when you watch the sport,” in the Netfl ix documentary about the Ham’s dugout before kickoff. tle 4-2 last weekend. himself as a regular in Jurgen most transformative sport event on Paralympics called “Rising Phoenix.” Klopp’s starting line-up after earth is about to begin.” said Craig Spence, a spokesman for “I’ve not been celebrating of late Algeria winger Said Benrahma, the International Paralympic Commit- The rest of the 4,403 Paralympic who has also started the season joining from Stoke in 2018 and athletes in Tokyo - a record number for because of VAR,” Antonio said. “I was mainly used as a substitute. tee. “These games will change your at- any Paralympics - will be telling their was like, ‘If I’m making history, I’ve strongly like Antonio, set up Pablo ❑ ❑ ❑ PARALYMPICS titude toward disability. “If you look around Japan, it’s very stories until the closing ceremony. got to do something special.’ I start- Fornals for West Ham’s 26th-minute opener before scoring himself to The former president of El rare you see persons with disabilities “I feel like I’m meeting movie ed it off doing celebrations so I’ve The opening ceremony featured got to fi nish it doing celebrations.” put West Ham 2-0 ahead. Antonio Salvador’s soccer federation the national fl ags of the 162 delega- on the street,” Spence added. “We’ve stars,” said 14-year-old Ugandan pleaded guilty Monday in a U.S. got to go from protecting people to em- swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe, who Antonio - a converted striker, having played a key role in Benrahma’s tions represented, which included the played as a winger and even a full back goal, intercepting a back pass by court to a corruption charge in refugee team. In addition, the fl ag of powering people and creating opportu- is competing for the fi rst time. the long-running FIFA bribery since joining West Ham in 2015 - still Leicester defender Caglar Soyuncu Afghanistan was carried by a volun- before playing the ball across the scandal. teer despite the delegation not being had time to add a second goal, stretch- In remote proceedings, Rey- on hand in Tokyo. ing to prod home a fi nish in the 84th area for his teammate to convert. naldo Vasquez pleaded guilty Comparisons to the Olympics stop after controlling a right-wing cross. That meant Benrahma repeated to racketeering conspiracy for with the colorful jamboree, save for It wrapped up West Ham’s second his goal and assist from the win at accepting bribes in exchange for the logistical and medical barriers dur- straight victory to open the season.