RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Posibleng masibak sa Rio Paralympics ang Algerian women’s goalball team bunsod nang kabiguan na maglaro sa unang dalawang laro na nakatakda para sa kanila.

Ayon sa International Paralympic Committee (IPC), ang kabiguan ng Algerian team ay kinokonsiderang ‘political protest’, na mahigpit na ipinagbabawal sa quadrennial Games.

Sa record ng IPC, hindi naglaro ang koponan sa duwelo kontra United States nitong Biyernes, gayundin kontra sa Israel nitong Linggo.

“In terms of political protests, there are a range of actions we could take,” pahayag ni IPC spokesman Craig Spence.

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“It could be a slap on the wrist. It could be as easy at that. It could be that the team is removed from the competition.”

Ikinatwiran umano ng mga opisyal ng Algerian team na “they suffered multiple delays, cancelled flights and missed connections” sa kanilang biyahe mula Warsaw, Poland patungong Brazil.

Ngunit, iginiit ni Spence na ang kabuuan ng Algerian delegation ay nasa Rio nabago pa ang opening ceremony.

“Even if you caught a boat from Poland to Brazil, you probably could have got here in time,” aniya. “So we’re still working with the Algerians as to whether they can give us a sensible explanation.”

Ang goalball ay isang Paralympic sport para sa atletang bulag o may kapansanan sa paningin.