International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach will not attend any of the Paralympic Games that started in Rio de Janeiro yesterday, the International Paralympic Committee said.
Mr Bach had already said he would miss yesterday's opening ceremony to remain in Germany for the funeral of his friend Walter Scheel, the former West German foreign minister and deputy chancellor who died last month aged 97.
But officials said he was now unable to reschedule other commitments and will be unable to travel to Brazil after the funeral.
Mr Bach was planning to attend the Opening Ceremony and first day of competition but can no longer attend due to a State funeral in Germany, Craig Spence, the IPC's Director of media and communications, said in a statement.
The news came before Brazilian police revealed they are interested in speaking to Mr Bach, as a witness in the alleged ticket-touting case involving Pat Hickey and Kevin Mallon.
It is the first time the IOC president has missed the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games since 1984.
The IPC did not say what the long-standing engagements were but it is not unusual for the IOC president to attend only the opening ceremony and first day of competition.
Mr Bach was in Sochi for the Winter Paralympics in 2014 only for the first couple of days.
"The fact that he can't come is unfortunately a fact of life and shows how busy these presidents and officials are," Mr Spence told Reuters.
"We don't see it as a snub at all."
Mr Bach appointed Sam Ramsamy, the IOC Delegate Member to sport for athletes with a disability, as the organisation's official representative at the Opening Ceremony at the Maracana stadium yesterday evening.
Rio was awarded the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games and Paralympics in 2009.
The Games run from 7-18 September.
