The International Paralympic Committee banned the Para athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the Winter Paralympics in Beijing that were set to start from Saturday, following the official ceremony on Friday. Only hours ago, the Committee said that it would allow the athletes to compete as ‘neutral,’ without flags or colors.
‘Multiple NPCs, teams, and athletes now threatening not to compete, jeopardizing the viability of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games,’ said the Paralympic Committee, if they were to proceed with allowing the Russian and Belarusian Para athletes to compete.
Andrew Parsons, the President of the IPC, said –
“At the IPC, we are very firm believers that sport and politics should not mix. However, by no fault of its own, the war has now come to these Games, and behind the scenes, many Governments are having an influence on our cherished event.
“The IPC is a membership-based organization, and we are receptive to the views of our member organizations.
The Paralympic Committee’s decision means that 71 Para athletes from Russia and 12 from Belarus have lost an opportunity to compete. Apologizing to them, the Committee said that they are being victims of the actions of their governments.