Ukraine invasion anniversary prompts fresh Russia Paralympics ban calls
Calls for the ban on Russian Paralympians to be reinstated have heightened as the invasion of Ukraine marks its fourth anniversary.
The Winter Paralympics is set to begin next week, days after today’s conflict anniversary, with the International Paralympic Committee admitting 10 Russian and Belarusian athletes despite Western outcry.
Officials representing host country Italy have hit out at the decision, while the call was criticised by UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
Ukraine is expected to send more than 20 athletes to Milano Cortina, with the para biathlon seen as a key hope for medal opportunities.
“Looking ahead to the Paralympic Games, the double standards are indefensible,” Wayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance’s, told CityAM.
“Russian and Belarusian athletes are preparing to compete under their national flag. If the stated aim is to ‘Build a Better World through Sport’, then serious policy change must be taken to show that rewarding aggression leads to more aggression.”
Paralympics questions
Artem Khudolieiev, co-founder of UkrSportBase, which has raised a number of red flags with regards to Russian athletes competing under a neutral flag still having links to Vladimir Putin’s regime, added: “Russia uses sports for propaganda.
“With the help of sports victories, the Russian authorities are trying to demonstrate to their population that the country is moving in the right direction. The absence of Russian athletes reduces the possibilities of Russian propaganda.
The IPC’s move has led to the boycotting of major events at the Paralympics by the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, though their athletes are expected to compete across the two weeks of action in northern Italy.
Valeriy Sushkevych, president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, said: “Russia will have their flag up on the territory of the Paralympic Games. It’s like the occupation of the Paralympic Games in Milan Cortina.”
The games begin on 6 March.