Global paralympic body lifts partial suspensions of Russia
text_fields
Seoul/South Korea: The International Paralympic Committee has lifted the partial suspensions of Russia and Belarus. The IPC general assembly in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday first voted against a full suspension for Russia by 111 to 55, with 11 abstentions, and then voted against a partial suspension by 91-77 (with eight abstentions), the Associated Press reported.
Russia and its ally Belarus were banned from international sporting events after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
It also voted against a full suspension for Belarus by 119 to 48, with nine abstentions, and against a partial suspension by 103-63 (10 abstentions).
The IPC said, “This decision means NPC Belarus and NPC Russia now regain their full rights and privileges of IPC membership, in accordance with the IPC Constitution. The IPC will work with the two members involved to put practical arrangements in place for this as soon as reasonably possible."
Russia and its ally Belarus have been banned from international sporting events after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In a statement posted on its website, the Russian Paralympic Committee's press service said the organisation welcomed what it called the “fair decision” of the IPC to “fully reinstate” the Russian Paralympic Committee.
Ukraine's sports minister, Matvii Bidnyi, slammed the decision on X.
“The position of the host country and the Organising Committee is crucial, and we are already working closely on this matter," he said. "We call on our European partners, who will host the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games, not to allow the flag of the aggressor state to be raised over the free and democratic space while the war of aggression continues.”
Russians will be allowed to compete at next year's Milan-Cortina Winter Games in northern Italy from Feb. 6-22.
Last week, the IOC confirmed that it would follow the system it used at the Paris Games last year, allowing Russians to compete as individual neutral athletes using the French acronym AIN.
