IOC boss misses Paralympics amid ‘witness’ claims

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach will not attend any of the Paralympic Games which started in Rio yesterday, with reports suggesting he would be subpoenaed as a witness in the ticketing scandal if he came to Brazil.

Mr Bach had already said he would not attend yesterday’s opening ceremony as he wanted to remain in Germany for the funeral of his friend Walter Scheel, the former West German foreign minister who died last month, aged 97.

Officials said he was now unable to reschedule other commitments and would be unable to travel to Brazil after the funeral.