![\"Paralympics](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/skysports-paralympics-winter_5690358-696x392.jpg\" "\\"Paralympics")
Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to compete at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing after the International Paralympic Committee reversed its original decision.<\/p>\n
The IPC was heavily criticised when, following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, it initially said it would allow the athletes to compete as neutrals.<\/p>\n
A statement said the \u201csituation in the athlete villages\u201d was \u201cuntenable\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Games\u2019 opening ceremony takes place on Friday.<\/p>\n
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IPC president Andrew Parsons said an \u201coverwhelming number of members\u201d had spoken to the IPC and said they would not compete in the Winter Paralympics should athletes from Russia and Belarus be allowed to take part.<\/p>\n
Parsons described the Russian and Belarusian athletes affected as \u201cvictims of your governments\u2019 actions\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very firm believers that sport and politics should not mix,\u201d Parsons added.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, by no fault of its own the war has now come to these Games and behind the scenes many governments are having an influence on our cherished event.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnsuring 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Valeriy Sushkevych, the Ukrainian Paralympic chief, said Ukraine\u2019s presence at the Games is a \u201csymbol that Ukraine is alive\u201d.<\/p>\n
There were set to be 71 competitors from Russia and 12 from Belarus \u2013 plus guides for both nations \u2013 competing in Beijing.<\/p>\n
Parsons said the decision to prevent the athletes from competing would \u201cpreserve the integrity\u201d of the Games and \u201cthe safety of all participants\u201d.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, a number of governing bodies and political figures criticised the IPC for not immediately banning Russian and Belarusian athletes.<\/p>\n
A joint statement from the athletes of Ukraine and the Global Athlete group, an international athlete-led body that aims to inspire change in world sport, said the IPC had issued \u201canother blow\u201d to every Ukrainian athlete and citizen with its decision.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian Olympic skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, speaking before the IPC reversed its decision, described the situation as \u201cdisgusting\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey put Russia above the interest of other countries,\u201d Heraskevych, who displayed an anti-war sign during the Beijing Games in February, said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything less than a full ban is unacceptable. It\u2019s sad and heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nadine Dorries, UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said she was \u201cvery pleased\u201d the IPC had changed its ruling after calling for it to \u201curgently reconsider\u201d its decision.<\/p>\n
Dorries\u00a0added:\u00a0\u201cThe welfare of all the other competing athletes is of upmost importance and we\u2019re pleased the IPC also recognise that.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ ALSO<\/strong><\/p>\n Professor Nick Webborn, chair of British Paralympic Association, said the IPC\u2019s decision on Thursday was the right one.<\/p>\n Asked if the ParalympicsGB team would have boycotted the Games, Webborn told Radio 4: \u201cThat was one potential scenario but something that we would not wish to exercise because our athletes deserve the right to be here.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would not want to remove that opportunity for them if we could possibly help it.\u201d<\/p>\n Parson said it was unlikely a viable Games could take place should Russian and Belarusian athletes be allowed to compete.<\/p>\n \u201cTo 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,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n A number of governing bodies from across sport have introduced measures to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes, including banning the use of their flags and cancelling events.<\/p>\n Ukraine has reported that\u00a0more than 2,000 civilians have died\u00a0since Russia begin its invasion on 24 February.<\/p>\n Their Paralympic team, consisting of 20 athletes and nine guides, are in Beijing and able to compete.<\/p>\n Sushkevych said it was a \u201cmiracle\u201d that the team had made it to the Games amid the turmoil caused by the Russian invasion.<\/p>\n \u201cWe came here from Ukraine and we travelled through Ukraine. It took us many days, we had to overcome a lot of barriers that had to do with the war,\u201d Sushkevych said.<\/p>\n \u201cMany members of our team barely managed to escape from the bombardments and shells exploding but still we made it here.<\/p>\n \u201cI can say that this is a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n Sushkevych thanked reporters who attended a news conference on Thursday, saying their attention was important \u201cfor Ukraine and all countries and people in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n He said that while staying in Ukraine would have been the easiest thing, their absence from the Games would have signified that \u201cthis country would cease to exist\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be more specific, a superpower wants to destroy our country. Our presence here is not merely a presence,\u201d Sushkevych added.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a sign that Ukraine was, is and will remain a country. For us, it is a matter of principle to be here with the Paralympic family \u2013 to be here as a symbol of Ukraine that is alive.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n