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by Lisa MARTIN
Agence France Presse
BEIJING, China (AFP) — Russian and Belarusian athletes had been on Thursday banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics over the conflict in Ukraine, with organisers bowing to worldwide strain and threats of a boycott.
The Worldwide Paralympic Committee (IPC) had only a day earlier mentioned athletes from the 2 international locations can be allowed to compete as “neutrals” within the Video games, which begin on Friday.
It mentioned that was the “harshest punishment” the IPC might dish out underneath its guidelines.
However organisers reversed that call lower than 24 hours later, which means 83 athletes from Russia and Belarus, which hosted troops for Moscow’s assault, will now be packing their luggage and heading dwelling.
“As a way to protect the integrity of those Video games and the security of all contributors, we now have determined to refuse the athlete entries from RPC and NPC Belarus,” the IPC mentioned in an announcement.
“To the para-athletes from the impacted international locations, we’re very sorry that you’re affected by the choices your governments took final week in breaching the Olympic Truce. You might be victims of your governments’ actions,” IPC president Andrew Parsons instructed reporters.
The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this week urged sporting federations internationally to exclude athletes from the 2 international locations.
A number of Paralympics committees all over the world, groups and athletes had threatened to not compete if the Russian and Belarusian athletes had been current, which was “jeopardising the viability” of the Video games, organisers mentioned.
“Making certain the security and safety of athletes is of paramount significance to us and the scenario within the athlete villages is escalating and has now turn out to be untenable,” the IPC mentioned in an announcement.
Parsons mentioned he expects the 2 international locations to take authorized motion in opposition to the choice.
“I hope and pray that we are able to get again to a scenario when the discuss and focus is totally on the ability of sport to remodel the lives of individuals with disabilities, and the most effective of humanity,” Parsons mentioned.
The earlier choice to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete had drawn a swift backlash on Wednesday.
Germany’s high Paralympic official mentioned the choice lacked braveness.
“It’s a darkish day for the Paralympic motion,” the nation’s Paralympic Committee President Friedhelm Julius Beucher instructed AFP.
– Emotional rollercoaster –
Athletes from Ukraine arrived in Beijing on Wednesday after a gruelling and logistically difficult journey from their homeland which has confronted a full-scale invasion from Russia.
Greater than half one million Ukrainians have fled to neighbouring international locations.
Earlier on Thursday, Ukraine’s biathlon crew members had been making ready for competitors — hitting the slopes for snowboarding and taking pictures coaching in Zhangjiakou.
The small Japanese European nation has punched above its weight in earlier Paralympic winter occasions, with frequent podium finishes within the biathlon and ski competitions.
The delegation took dwelling 22 medals in 2018 — together with seven golds — gaining the sixth spot on the world tally.
For a few of the crew, the emotional rollercoaster and disrupted focus will probably be a case of deja vu.
Throughout Russia’s internet hosting of the Winter Paralympics in 2014, Ukrainian athletes needed to grapple with Moscow’s takeover of the Crimea peninsula.
© Agence France-Presse
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