Paralympic Games Reverse Course and Ban Athletes from Russia and Belarus


BEIJING — A day after the organizers of the Paralympic Winter Games announced that they would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, the organizing board made a stunning comeback on Thursday, banning athletes from both countries on the eve of the opening ceremony.

Citing growing discontent among other athletes in the Paralympic village and threats to boycott the Games, the International Paralympic Committee said the situation had changed so dramatically overnight that the viability of the Games would be jeopardized if the organizers did not expel the Russian and Belarusian athletes. .

“The environment in the village is deteriorating,” said Andrew Parsons, head of the IPC.

Parsons said there were no reported incidents of conflict or violence between athletes, but tensions were mounting and there was a “big” concern for Russian and Belarusian athletes.

“The village is not a place of fighting,” he said.

This move makes the Paralympic Games the latest international sports organization to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and teams after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, organized with Belarusian support. Sports such as football, tennis and figure skating have banned Russian athletes since the International Olympic Committee this week proposed a total ban by global federations and event organizers in an extraordinary step.

Only the Russian and Belarusian Paralympic delegations, whose athletes were eligible to compete impartially the day before, can appeal the decision in court. But the Games will hold their opening ceremony on Friday and their first event on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Parsons said the IPC cannot remove Russian and Belarusian athletes as there is no specific mechanism to do so in the organization’s constitution.

“At the IPC, we strongly believe that sports and politics should not mix,” said Parsons. “However, the war, through no fault of its own, has now come to these Games, and behind the scenes many governments have an influence on our cherished activity.

“The IPC is a membership-based organization and we welcome feedback from our member organizations,” he said.



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