Russia and Belarus athletes banned from Winter Paralympics after U-turn

Athletes from Russia and Belarus will no longer be able to compete at the 2022 Winter Paralympics after a dramatic U-turn on the eve of the opening ceremony. The International Paralympic Committee had initially ruled athletes from the two countries could compete as neutral athletes, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ad/> However amid threats from governments, teams and athletes to pull out from the Games in Beijing, the decision was reversed.

ParalympicsRussia, Belarus to compete at Paralympics under neutral flag21 HOURS AGO «We are very firm believers that sport and politics should not mix,» said IPC president Andrew Parsons. «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. »Ensuring the safety and security of athletes is of paramount importance to us and the situation in the athlete villages is escalating and has now become untenable." /> It means 71 athletes from Russia and 12 from Belarus will not compete in China, plus guides for both nations.

«What is clear is that the rapidly escalating situation has now put us in a unique and impossible position so close to the start of the Games,» said Parsons. “Yesterday we said we would continue to listen, and that is what we are doing. “In the last 12 hours an overwhelming number of members have been in touch with us and been very open, for which I am grateful.