ZAPORIZHZHIA: With her wheelchair perched on her lap, Ukrainian world champion powerlifter Raisa Toporkova escaped with friends from the occupied city of Enerhodar where Russian forces were shelling Europe’s largest nuclear power facility.
They had lost their homes, but not their sense of humor.
“If the Russians came after us, at least we have our sticks to defend ourselves,” joked Yevhenii Razikov, who has cerebral palsy and shared the perilous journey to safety.
Crammed into a car with several others with special needs, Toporkova spent 12 hours negotiating a series of checkpoints to flee the city in southern Ukraine.
“It would be impossible to get out of the car if something happened,” Toporkova, who was fifth at last year year’s Tokyo Paralympics, told AFP in the regional capital Zaporizhzhia.
“My wheelchair was on me and two of the others need a stick to walk.”
More than 10 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since Russia invaded on February 24, but for people with disabilities, the often long and difficult journey can be an almost impossible undertaking.
Russian troops shelled Enerhodar, the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, in early March, causing a fire, which was eventually put out.
The attack led to international outrage with memories still fresh of the 1986 explosion at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear reactor, the world’s worst nuclear accident.
Toporkova, who has been in a wheelchair for most of her life due to a musculoskeletal growth disorder, said the situation was deteriorating fast in Enerhodar after a month under Russian control.
She was barely able to go out and her first-floor home had no basement to take shelter from the many explosions.
Food supplies were running low and prices had risen by as much as four times. Pharmacies were out of vital prescription medicines.
Another uptick in violence at the nuclear plant could mean a lethal radiation leak.
Worried that the opportunity to leave could close, Toporkova fled on Monday with husband Anton Vavryshchuk, 37, who is also physically disabled.
They were joined by their friends, Razikov and his wife, who did not want to be identified. Both have cerebral palsy.
“My wheelchair was on our lap and there was shelling constantly. We were scared we would be killed there and the explosions got even louder when we reached the checkpoint,” Toporkova said.
After their minibus broke down on the outskirts of the city they were worried their chance was gone, but a Red Cross volunteer managed to transfer them to a car.
Yet at one checkpoint, they were held for seven hours.
It was a long and painful wait for the group, whose physical difficulties were exacerbated by long periods of sitting in a car.
There are more than seven million people aged 60 or older in Ukraine and 2.7 million people with disabilities, according to the European Disability Forum.
Advocacy groups have warned that many would not be able to escape or seek shelter due to lack of mobility.
Out of a column of more than 100 cars, the group said they were eventually one of only two vehicles that were allowed to pass. The journey took 12 hours instead of the usual two because of difficulties at checkpoints.
“There were three possible outcomes: one is that we got hit by the shelling, another is we got stuck and then who could possibly save us. The third is that we got out, and thankfully that’s what happened,” said Razikov.
Toporkova started powerlifting 19 years ago and is a two-time world champion.
She has not been able to train since the war began in late February and gyms closed and she also faced losing her job and means to earn a living if she stayed. She used to do three two-hour sessions a week.
“If I don’t train for one week, it’s OK, but two weeks is terrible,” she said. “Let’s say I could lift 100 kilograms before, after that time I would only be able to lift 80kg.”
“I’m losing results if I’m not training and I won’t get invited to international competitions anymore.”
Now she is heading to Lviv in western Ukraine and hopes to be able to return to the gym.
“I cannot wait to start training again.”
Ukrainian Paralympian escapes Russian-held city to safety
https://arab.news/n2j33
Ukrainian Paralympian escapes Russian-held city to safety
- Crammed into a car with several others with special needs, Toporkova spent 12 hours negotiating a series of checkpoints to flee the city in southern Ukraine
- "It would be impossible to get out of the car if something happened," Toporkova, who was fifth at last year year's Tokyo Paralympics, told AFP
Expressions of disquiet concerning cricket’s power base
- Increasing number of players, coaches may be prepared to oppose overconcentration of power in game
Last week’s crisis over Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup ended with the International Cricket Council’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland. In a show of support for Bangladesh, the Pakistan Cricket Board indulged in saber rattling by suggesting that it may boycott the tournament.
This is unlikely and would invite severe repercussions, effectively creating a schism in cricket. The stance may be interpreted as a continuation of Pakistan’s ongoing challenge to India’s hegemony of the game.
In a sign of the way in which views have polarized, Jason Gillespie, a former Australian cricketer and international coach, posted the following on X: “Has there been an explanation from the ICC why Bangladesh could not play their matches outside of India? From memory, India refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and were allowed to play those matches outside of Pakistan. Can someone make this make sense?”
Among the plentiful responses were many from Indian sources, who were not kindly disposed towards Gillespie’s question. He took the post down, saying: “I got abused for asking a simple question.”
On the surface it may appear to be a simple question, but it hits at the heart of a complex issue. Gillespie’s critics have been quick to seize on the fact that he was, for six months in 2024, coach of the Pakistan national men’s Test team and that he will be the coach of the new Kingsman Hyderabad franchise in the Pakistan Super League in April. This involvement has been interpreted as evidence of bias against India.
Another respected player, Jason Holder, former captain of the West Indies, expressed some forthright thoughts in a podcast earlier this month. One of these related to the selection of Pakistani players in franchise leagues. He commented that it was sad that “certain Pakistanis can’t be involved in certain teams because they are owned by Indian owners.” Holder also expressed his sadness at the impact on cricket of relations between India and Pakistan.
Separately, Moeen Ali, of England, went further in an interview given while playing in the Bangladesh Premier League in January. His view is that the ICC does not act like a neutral guardian of the game, effectively serving the interests of “one cricket nation.” Ali added that everyone inside the game knows “who actually runs things,” but few are willing to say so publicly.
Neither did he directly, but we are safe to assume the glaringly obvious — that he was referring to India. It is understandable that many within the game are reluctant to rock the boat, partly out of fear about the opprobrium which follows, and to which Azeem Rafiq can testify.
Gillespie has been the source of social media abuse and Holder has also been subject to negative comment. He has played for franchises owned by Indians in India, South Africa, the UAE and the Caribbean. Ali has done likewise and it is noticeable that in December 2025 he announced that will play in the Pakistan Super League in April 2026, rather than the Indian Premier League, where he has represented three franchises since 2018. The league is now adopting an Indian, youth-driven strategy, which is reducing opportunities for experienced overseas players. In a surprise announcement this week, Ali announced that he will play for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast in 2026. This reverses his decision during 2025 to retire from English domestic cricket.
Opportunities for cricketers to play in franchise leagues are still on the increase. Almost 11 months ago I was fortunate to interview Abhishek Bachchan, who had been revealed as a co-owner of the European T20 Premier League. The league, which is approved by the ICC, consists of a partnership between the national cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. At the time of the interview the intention of the owners was to hold the first edition of the event between July 15 and Aug. 3, 2025.
In my column, following the interview, I suggested that the ETPL’s promoters had their work cut out, given that there were only five months to go until mid-July. It was clear that discussions with players and their agents were underway, as were those with potential franchisees and investors. At the time that space was crowded because the focus of these stakeholders was on the sale of equity in The Hundred. Postponement of the ETPL was announced in early June 2025. In the intervening months, time has been well spent leading to last week’s announcement that the ETPL will launch in August 2026.
Exact dates and format have not been revealed, but it is understood that late August to mid-September is the preferred option. The original idea was to hold the league prior to The Hundred, which occupies most of August. Instead, it is now planned to open after the 2026 Hundred concludes on Aug. 16. Originally a six-franchise league was proposed, based on teams in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. This remains the case and, to date, three teams have been confirmed for Amsterdam, Belfast and Edinburgh.
It was a surprise to learn the identities of the owners. The rights to own the Amsterdam Flames have been acquired by a trio consisting of Steve Waugh, the former Australian captain; Jamie Dwyer, one of Australia’s greatest-ever male hockey players; and Tim Thomas, former CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations.
Another Australian cricketer, a current one, Glenn Maxwell, will own the Belfast-based Irish Wolves franchise, along with Rohan Lund, formerly CEO of the NRMA Group in Australia. In Edinburgh, the rights for the Castle Rockers lie with two former New Zealand cricketers, Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum, older brother of Brendon McCullum, the current coach of the England men’s cricket team.
None of these individuals appear to have had any previous involvement in the ownership of franchise teams. Indeed, Waugh said that he has “always been selective about where I invest my time and energy in cricket. In many ways it marks a return to the game for me — but in a very different role. This is about helping uphold the standards and spirit of cricket while supporting its growth into Europe, which remains the game’s last great frontier.”
A stated aim of the ETPL promoters is to develop local talent. This was echoed by Kyle Mills, who referred to a partnership with Otago Cricket Board in New Zealand. This is intended to bring a pipeline of young talent through to the Rockers, along with the potential to develop local players and inspire the next generation to take up cricket. Each of the three franchises has secured big-name Australian and New Zealand cricketers for the inaugural competition.
So far, there is a different feel to the ETPL. As yet, the franchises are not funded by existing franchise owners in other leagues, some of which are dependent on Indian money. The Big Bash League is heading for privatization in Australia and there is little doubt that there will be strong interest from Indian investors. However, if an increasing number of players and coaches are prepared to express their disquiet about the overconcentration of power in the game, and alternative investors emerge, then the engulfing of cricket by one nation may be challenged.
