The flag of Afghanistan is presented by volunteers at the Paralympics. Photo: Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Afghanistan national flag was displayed during Tuesday's Paralympics opening ceremony as a "sign of solidarity" after the team was forced to cancel its trip due to the Taliban's takeover of the country.
Driving the news: The flag of Afghanistan was carried into the parade of athletes by a Paralympic volunteer, alongside a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the New York Times reports.
The big picture: The two Afghan athletes who were not able to travel to Tokyo were para-taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi and discus thrower Hossain Rasouli, per AP.
- Khudadadi would have been the first woman to represent Afghanistan at a Paralympic Games, per Reuters.
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