Britain hit out at IPC over Paralympic athletes decision

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The XIII Winter Paralympics start tomorrow with widespread fury at organisers for bucking the global trend of slamming the door shut on the two pariah nations. The athletes of Ukraine, in a joint statement with lobby group Global Athlete, said: “The demands of athletes have been cast aside in favour of Russian interests.

“Sport administrators are choosing bloodshed and profits over principle and stakeholders.” UK culture Secretary Nadine Dorries hit out at the decision to allow Russia and Belarus to compete as ‘neutral athletes’ despite the invasion of Ukraine.

She said: “I am extremely disappointed in the IPC – this is the wrong decision and I call on them to urgently reconsider. They must join the rest of the world in condemning this barbaric invasion by banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing.

“We will consider the full range of options in protest of this decision, in consultation with UK Sport and the British Paralympic Association.” The options open to the British Paralympic Association include boycotting the opening and medal ceremonies.

Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad said athletes could refuse to compete against the invading nations. “If I was an athlete going to theWinter Games, I would refuse,” he said. “Me competing in sport is not bigger than human life. Unfortunately, the IPC has put athletes in a very difficult spot.”

Paralympics GB are due to face Russia on Sunday in wheelchair curling. They said they failed to see how allowing Russia and Belarus to compete was “compatible with the objectives of the Paralympic movement” given the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis.

PC president Andrew Parsons said that allowing Russia and Belarus to take part as neutrals and not be included in the medal table was the “harshest possible” punishment available to them under their critical constitution and current rules.

Global Athlete pointed out that 19-year-old Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev was killed in combat in Ukraine defending his country. They said: “How many more lives need to be lost before sport implements meaningful sanctions?”

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