Amidst the European Crisis, Ukrainian athletes made their way to Beijing to compete in the Winter Paralympics. However, as global tensions rise, an athlete had to pull out from the event after receiving some distressing news. Anastasiia Laletina, a Ukrainian Paralympian, pulled out of the event after receiving concerning news about her father who is back home in Ukraine.

According to the Insider, the athlete withdrew from the grandest of all stages, citing personal reasons involving her father.

Ukrainian Paralympian withdraws from the event

Nataliia Harach, a team spokesperson, told Agence France-Presse, how the news broke out to the athlete. The 19-YO was competing in the middle-distance sitting para biathlon when she heard the news. As the news broke out, she couldn’t continue and chose to withdraw. Now, she is receiving support from a doctor as reported by Harach.

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The teenage Paralympian athlete is still registered to compete in the para cross-country skiing event. But, it is unsure whether she will return to take part in the event. Notably, around 20 athletes from Ukraine traveled to China to take part in the Games. With the current happenings in and around Europe, it is deflating to see athletes suffer in this manner from the current scenario.

Medals tally

Despite the current situation, the country is second to China at the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics. They have won 17 medals, out of which six are gold, seven are silver, and four are bronze medals. Not to forget, following the European conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes are banned from competing at the Winter Paralympics.

There are no reports of Laletina coming back to compete in the event again. Amidst the disappointing news, Valeriy Sushkevych, the Ukrainian Paralympic chief, spoke about the Ukrainian team’s presence in Beijing as a “symbol that Ukraine is alive.”

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Do you think Laletina will return to compete in the Winter Games?