Russians BANNED from Paris 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony
Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics this summer.
Their achievements will also be erased from the medal table.
It comes as athletes from the two nations will compete as neutrals in France after being vetted by the International Paralympic Committee.
The move comes in response to the war on Ukraine, in which Belarus is seen as an aggravator.
Russian athletes banned
Russia lost an appeal against the International Olympic Committee earlier this year after the sport’s governing body banned the nation from IOC membership after the state claimed regional sports organisations as their own in parts of Ukraine occupied by the Kremlin regime.
An IPC announcement read: “The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) governing board has published strict eligibility criteria that Russian and Belarusian athletes and support personnel must meet and adhere to in order to participate as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
“Subject to full compliance with the regulations, NPC Russia and NPC Belarus will be permitted to enter their licensed, eligible, and qualified athletes (and support personnel) into the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in an individual capacity only, meaning no teams.
Shunned
“At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games these individuals will be referred to as neutral Paralympic athletes (NPA) and will compete in uniforms approved by the IPC that must not feature any national colours, flag, country name or national emblem, symbol or designation.
“Medal wins will not be recorded on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games medals table and, should a neutral athlete win a gold medal, the Paralympic anthem will be played.
“As the athletes will participate in an individual and neutral capacity, they will not march in the opening ceremony on 28 August or have a flagbearer at the closing ceremony on 8 September.”
Any neutrals vetted to take part in the Paralympics will do so under a black flag.