Afghanistan sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7–18 September 2016. This was the nation's fifth time taking part in a Summer Paralympic Games. The Afghan delegation consisted of a single athlete, Mohammad Durani, who competed in the javelin throw. Originally he finished 16th in his event, but he was retroactively disqualified for a doping violation.[1]
| Afghanistan at the 2016 Summer Paralympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IPC code | AFG |
| NPC | Afghanistan Paralympic Committee |
| in Rio de Janeiro | |
| Competitors | 1 in 1 sport |
| Flag bearer | Mohammad Durani |
| Medals |
|
| Summer Paralympics appearances (overview) | |
Background
editAfghanistan made its Paralympic debut at the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, United States.[2] With the exception of the 2000 Summer Paralympics, they have sent a delegation to every Summer Paralympics since, making Rio the nation's fifth time participating at the Paralympics.[3] They have never participated in the Winter Paralympic Games,[3] and have never won a Paralympic medal.[3] The 2016 Summer Paralympics were held from 7–18 September 2016 with a total of 4,328 athletes representing 159 National Paralympic Committees taking part.[4] Athlete Mohammad Durani was the only competitor for Afghanistan in Rio.[1] He was chosen as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony.[5]
Disability classifications
editEvery participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories: amputation, which may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, though there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; and Les autres, which is any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, like dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.[6][7] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities. Other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.[8]
Athletics
editMohammad Durani was 42 years old at the time of the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics.[1] He competed in the men's javelin throw for athletes classified between F42–F44 on 9 September.[9] He finished with a personal best of 26.51 meters, but that put him into last place, and thus not allowed to proceed to the final three throws.[10] However, on 19 September, it was revealed he had tested positive for 19-Norandrosterone, a substance the World Anti-Doping Agency classifies under its list of "Endogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids" and is banned in both in-competition and out-of-competition testing; accordingly Durani was disqualified and his result annulled.[1][11][12] The gold medal went to Akeem Stewart of Trinidad and Tobago, the silver medal was won by Alister McQueen of Canada, and the bronze was taken by New Zealand's Rory McSweeney.[13]
| Athlete | Events | Result | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Durani | Javelin F42-44 | DSQ | – |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Rio 2016 Paralympics: Afghanistan's Mohammad Naiem Durani banned for doping". BBC Online. 19 September 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Afghanistan at the 2016 Rio Paralympics". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ a b c "Afghanistan". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Rio 2016". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
- ^ "Full list of flag bearers for opening ceremony of Rio 2016 Paralympic Games". International Paralympic Committee. Paralympic News Service. 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ McGarry, Andrew (3 September 2008). "Paralympics categories explained". ABC. Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ "Making sense of the categories". BBC Sport. 6 October 2000. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ "A-Z of Paralympic classification". BBC Sport. 28 August 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ "Results – Men's Javelin Throw – F44 Final". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Men's Javelin Throw – F44" (PDF). International Paralympic Committee. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Afghani field athlete suspended for four years for Anti-Doping Violation". International Paralympic Committee. 19 September 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ Etchells, Daniel (19 September 2016). "Afghan javelin thrower banned after failed doping test at Rio 2016 Paralympics". Inside the Games. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ "Athletics at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games – Men's Javelin F44". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 19 August 2018.