As war rages, Paralympics open in Beijing without Russia

Maksym Yarovyi of Ukraine carries the flag as the team makes their entrance during the opening ceremony at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Friday, March 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Remi Mazi carries the flag of Belgium during the opening ceremony at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Friday, March 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Maksym Yarovyi of Ukraine carries the flag as the team makes their entrance during the opening ceremony at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Friday, March 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Lee Reaney, a Canadian journalist working for the Kyiv Post, poses questions to the panel during the press conference following the official announcement that athletes from the Russian Paralympic Committee and Belarus, who were to compete as neutral athletes under the Paralympic flag, are no longer allowed to compete at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games, Beijing, Thursday, March 3, 2022. (Joe Toth/OIS via AP)

Guo Yujie and Wang Zhidong carry the flag of China as they make their entrance during the opening ceremony at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Friday, March 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, waves as he arrives in the National Stadium for the opening ceremonies of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, Friday, March 4, 2022. (Joe Toth/OIS via AP)

Members of the China Paralympic team wave flags during the athletes parade at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, Friday, March 4, 2022. (Joe Toth/OIS via AP)

President of Ukraines's National Paralympic Committee Valerii Sushkevych speaks to the media at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Thursday, March 3, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

CORRECTS SOURCE TO UKRAINIAN NATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE, INSTEAD OF OIS - NPC Ukraine delegation hold up a banner prior to the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, Friday, March 4, 2022. (Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee via AP)

Team China make their entrance during the opening ceremony at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Friday, March 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)