Winter Paralympics start time, TV channels and how to watch

78 events will be held in six sports in Beijing, although Russian athletes won’t be competing after they were banned by the IPC

The 2022 Winter Paralympics will be held in Beijing (Getty Images)

The 2022 Winter Paralympics will be held in Beijing, China, and follow the Winter Olympics.

They will be the 13th edition of the showpiece para-winter-sport event.

78 events will be held across six sports over nine days of competition but there will be no Russian athletes after they were banned by the IPC, following the outcry from other nations when they were initially permitted to compete under a neutral flag, and opted not to appeal against the ban.

This will be the second time that the Chinese capital has hosted a Paralympic Games - the 2008 Summer equivalent was held in the city.

Here’s everything you need to know:

When are the Winter Paralympics?

The 2022 Winter Paralympics will also held in Beijing, running between 4 March and 13 March. The first medals were won on 5 March in alpine skiing and biathlon.

How do I watch the Winter Paralympics in the UK?

All of the action from Beijing will be shown by Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, with over 80 hours of round-the-clock Paralympics coverage from China on free-to-air television and additional streaming on the Channel 4 YouTube. Coverage will be presented by an all-disabled team, including ParalympicsGB champions Lauren Steadman and Ellie Robinson.

What is the time difference?

The Beijing time zone, China Standard Time, is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time for those in the United Kingdom. It is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time, 14 hours ahead of US Central time, 16 hours ahead of US Pacific Standard time.

What events will be held?

There are six sports in which medals will be awarded: Alpine skiing (30 medal events), Nordic skiing (Biathlon - 18; Cross-Country Skiing - 20), para ice hockey (one), snowboarding (eight), and curling (one).

Where will the opening and closing ceremonies take place?

Just as in the Winter Olympics in February, the Beijing National Stadium, commonly known as the “Bird’s Nest”, will host the opening and closing ceremonies.

Which nations will be competing?

A record 51 National Paralympic Committees had qualified athletes for events in Beijing, including debutants Israel, Puerto Rico and Azerbaijan.

However, athletes from the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) were not allowed to compete after Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.

The IPC have confirmed that the full Ukrainian team of 20 athletes and nine guides will travel to Beijing.