Russian, Belarusian athletes banned from Paralympics

BEIJING • Russian and Belarusian athletes were yesterday banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics over the war in Ukraine, with the organiser bowing to international pressure and threats of a boycott.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had just a day earlier said athletes from the two countries would be allowed to compete as "neutrals" in the Games, which start today, and would not be included in the medal tally.

It said that was the "harshest punishment" the IPC could dish out under its rules, and it was felt that expelling Russian and Belarusian para-athletes, many of whom were already in Beijing, would have caused too much upheaval this close to the start date.

But the organiser reversed that decision less than 24 hours later, meaning 83 athletes from Russia and Belarus, which has hosted troops for Moscow's attack, will now be packing their bags and heading home.

IPC president Andrew Parsons said: "To the para-athletes from the impacted countries, we are very sorry that you are affected by the decisions your governments took last week in breaching the Olympic Truce. You are victims of your governments' actions."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this week urged sporting bodies across the world to exclude athletes from the two countries, saying the Truce, which aims to secure safe passage of athletes seven days before and after a Games, had been violated.

Multiple Paralympic committees around the world, teams and athletes had threatened not to compete if Russian and Belarusian athletes remained in Beijing, which was "jeopardising the viability" of the Games, whose "integrity had to be preserved", the organiser said.

"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," the IPC added.

Ukraine Paralympic Committee president Valeriy Sushkevych said his team - which arrived in Beijing on Wednesday - had been overwhelmed with solidarity.

He revealed that many team members had difficulties escaping bombings on their journey out of the country, adding: "This is a miracle that we managed to be here at the Paralympic Games. We came with a primary objective. We are here to defend our country with the whole sport community."

The exclusions will appease many, but Mr Parsons admitted that he expects both countries to take legal action against the ban.

"I hope and pray that we can get back to a situation when the talk and focus is fully on the power of sport to transform the lives of persons with disabilities, and the best of humanity," the Brazilian added.

Russia is already reportedly exploring litigation following Fifa's decision to bar the country from the 2022 World Cup last week, citing no "legal grounds for cancelling" the play-off game against Poland, initially set for March 24.

The Kremlin also yesterday labelled the last-minute, about-turn decision to bar its para-athletes from the Games a "disgrace".

"The situation is monstrous, of course. This is a disgrace for the International Paralympic Committee," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "We strongly condemn the Paralympic Committee for this decision."

Meanwhile, the crackdown on Russia's billionaire oligarchs - the West has accused them of funding or enabling President Vladimir Putin's war - led to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich announcing that he was putting the Premier League club up for sale, 19 years after his takeover, on Wednesday.

As part of the ever-growing sanctions designed to erode Mr Putin's support, the British government also yesterday hosted a summit with counterparts from Europe, the United States, Australia and Canada to discuss further measures aimed at isolating Russia from world sports events.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS