Paralympics Closing Ceremony Pays Tribute To Dead Iranian Cyclist 

Rio de Janeiro: The president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Philip Craven, was among those to pay tribute to Iranian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad during the Paralympic Games closing ceremony here.

Golbarnezhad died after an accident while competing in the C4-5 road race on Saturday.

“The passing of Iranian cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad has affected us all and left the whole Paralympic movement united in grief,” Craven said during a speech at the Maracana stadium during Sunday’s closing ceremony. “

It was the first time that an athlete has died during competition in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the crash, according to the IPC

Flags were lowered to half mast at the Paralympic village and Iran took a photo of Golbarnezhad on to the podium after winning their sitting volleyball gold medal on Sunday.

“There is one bitterness and one sweetness,” said Masoud Ashrafi, the secretary general of Iran’s Paralympic Committee.

“Today we are so happy because the sitting volleyball team were able to win the gold medal. And we are going to present this gold medal to the soul of Bahman Golbarnezhad,” said Ashrafi.

It was the first time that an athlete has died during competition in the 56-year history of the Paralympic Games. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the crash, according to the IPC.

IANS