Winter Paralympics ruling by IPC ‘has put athletes in a very difficult spot’

British Paralympian Ali Jawad expects widespread athlete boycotts over the decision to let Russians and Belarusians compete at the upcoming Beijing 2022Winter Paralympics.

The International Paralympic Committee has been strongly criticised for its decision to allow athletes from those two countries to take part as neutrals, despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has been aided and abetted by Belarus.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the British Paralympic team should consider a “full range of options” to protest against it.

The British Paralympic Association released its own statement saying it would “reflect on the implications” of the decision having previously stated that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete would not be “compatible with the objectives of the Paralympic movement”.

Neither Dorries nor the BPA used the word boycott, but there is the possibility that British athletes or those from other countries may now refuse to compete against Russians or Belarusians.

“If I was an athlete going to the Winter Games I would refuse to compete,” Jawad, a Paralympic weightlifter, told the PA news agency.

“Me competing in sport is not bigger than human life. Unfortunately the IPC has put athletes in a very difficult spot now. Potentially it’s up to athletes to take it into their own hands and that is unfair on them. Because of the decision the IPC made I think there will be a lot of boycotts.”

Dorries said: “I am extremely disappointed in the IPC – this is the wrong decision and I call on them to urgently reconsider. They must join the rest of the world in condemning this barbaric invasion by banning Russian and Belarussian athletes from competing.

“We will consider the full range of options in