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Paralympics Australia has endorsed the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to refuse entries from athletes from the National Paralympic Committees of Russia and Belarus.
The Beijing Winter Paralympic Games will begin on Friday without 83 athletes from the two delegations after a backlash from members of the International Paralympic community.
After the International Paralympic Committee announced on Wednesday evening that its core principles, including a commitment to political neutrality and impartiality, would mean it would resist mounting public pressure to exclude delegations from Russia and Belarus, that decision was reversed less than 24 hours later.
IPC President Andrew Parsons said in response to ‘overwhelming’ feedback from National Paralympic Committees, teams and athletes including multiple threats not to compete, it became clear to the IPC that the integrity and safety of the Games had become compromised.
Paralympics Australia President Jock O’Callaghan said that these unprecedented circumstances, opposition to ongoing hostilities and the voice of the collective Paralympic movement had spoken the loudest.
“This is the best decision to ensure that the integrity of the Beijing Paralympic Games is upheld to the best possible standards in these unprecedented times,” O’Callaghan said.
“We recognise that this situation does not give us the luxury to rely upon the principle that ‘politics and sport should not mix’ when we are witnessing hostilities in Europe on this scale.
“The IPC has made a complex and difficult decision on the cusp of a Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, but we believe it is the right one with the safety and security of all participants at its core.”
By: Paralympics Australia
Posted: 3 March 2022
