Russian athletes to take part in 2024 Paralympic Games

Russian and Belarusian athletes are set to compete at next year's Paralympic Games after surviving a vote to completely ban the country from the event.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) held a vote at its general assembly in Bahrain on Friday on whether to fully suspend the Russian Paralympic Committee for breaches of its membership obligations, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

However, 74 IPC member nations voted against the full suspension, with 65 in favour and 13 abstaining.

A further vote will be held later on Friday to decide whether the RPC should be partially suspended.

Partial suspension would mean Russian athletes being able to compete, but under neutrality condition, as at the 2020 Games. These would include being unable to compete under the Russian flag or in Russian kit, or in any team sports.

Russian and Belarusian athletes were fully banned from the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing.

The International Olympic Committee could make a decision on Russian participation in next summer’s Olympic Games at its session in Mumbai next month.

The IOC has issued a set of recommendations to international sports federations setting out conditions under which Russian athletes may be able to compete in qualifying events.

IOC president Thomas Bach has been adamant that athletes should not be discriminated against simply on the basis of the passport they hold.