Russian Athletes To Compete As Neutrals At Paralympics
Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals at next year’s Paris Paralympics after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), voted against maintaining a full ban of the two countries, imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The IPC members at their assembly in Bahrain first narrowly voted against a complete ban of the Russian Paralympic Committee (74-65) and then voted 90-56 in favour of a motion to partially suspend Russia for two years, subject to reassessment at a next general assembly.
“As a result of the General Assembly’s decision, (National Paralympic Committee) Russia’s membership rights are suspended for two years,” the IPC said in a statement.
“With the exception that its athletes (and related support personnel) will be eligible to participate in an individual and neutral capacity in the Paralympic Games and World and Regional Championships and sanctioned competitions in the six sports for which the IPC acts as international federation.”
Competing as neutral athletes means doing so without a national team or emblems, flags and anthems.
The IPC also voted for a partial suspension of Belarus with those athletes also allowed to compete as neutrals. Belarus has been a staging ground for Russian troops and weapons during the invasion.
“As this was a decision taken by the IPC General Assembly, I expect all IPC members to fully respect it,” IPC President, Andrew Parsons said.
“With the decision now behind us, I hope the focus as we lead-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games can now be very much on sport and the performances of Para athletes.”
