The U.S. won't be sending a delegation to the Paralympics in Sochi

DENNIS GROMBKOWSKI/Getty Images

The U.S. won't be sending a delegation to the Paralympics in Sochi
(Image credit: DENNIS GROMBKOWSKI/Getty Images)

The White House said today it won't be sending a presidential delegation to the upcoming Paralympic Games in Sochi. The decision is a result of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, a National Security Council spokeswoman told National Journal. American athletes will still participate in Friday's event.

"President Obama continues to strongly support all of the U.S. athletes who will participate in the Paralympics and wishes them great success in the Olympic competition," a statement said.

The six-person delegation that will no longer attend had included Rep. Tammy Duckworth and three administration officials, including Celeste Wallander, the senior director for Russia and Central Asia on the National Security Council.

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The news comes after Britain said it won't be sending a group of government officials to Sochi because it would be "wrong" to attend.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.