A podium cut in two. While he won, under a neutral banner, his fourth gold medal of these Paralympic Games, this time in the 50m freestyle S13 event – for athletes suffering from visual impairment – the Belarusian swimmer Ihar Boki was snubbed by the two other medallists when it came time to take the “protocol” selfie on the podium.
It was just after the Paralympic anthem and under the huge white AIN flag of the athletes competing under a neutral banner – a mandatory condition of participation for Russian and Belarusian athletes – that the two Ukrainian Paralympic medalists Iliya Yaremko, second in the event, and Oleksii Virchenko, in bronze, boycotted their opponent.
>>> The Paralympic Games live
Although it is an integral part of the medal ceremony protocol for the 2024 Paris Games, the selfie between the three swimmers did not take place. A first in this edition. Instead, the two Ukrainian athletes met on one side of the podium, embracing arm in arm, and leaving the Belarusian champion alone in first place. A boycott in reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, underway since February 2022, and in which Belarus plays an active role in supporting Russia.
A 20th Paralympic title for Boki who becomes the most decorated man in history
The two Ukrainians, who were congratulating each other on the edge of the La Défense Arena pool, were already unaware of their Belarusian opponent when the results were announced.
Ihar Boki still won his 20th Paralympic title with this new gold medal. At 30 years old, he thus becomes the most decorated man in the history of the Paralympic Games. He is only surpassed by the American Trischa Zorn and her 32 titles between 1980 and 2004.
Original article published on RMC Sport
