Russians and Belarusians excluded from the Paralympic Games in Beijing could participate in replacement Games in Sochi. The Russian agency TASS confirmed this on Friday.
© AFP
Among the participants: no Russians or Belarusians. Both countries were expelled late, after the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
What if the athletes excluded from the Paralympic Games in Beijing still had their competition? The idea floats in the air. It was notably communicated to the Russian agency TASS on Friday. “Competitions with the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes will be held in the Olympic facilities in Sochi,” a source “from the Russian Ministry of Sports” told the agency. The dates and name of the competitions are still under discussion.
Exclusion
Both Russians and Belarusians have been excluded from the Paralympic Games in Beijing. Following the war in Ukraine, the two countries first had the green light to compete in the competition, before the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) reversed its decision.
Andrew Parsons, president of the CIP, explained that several countries had shown themselves ready to withdraw in the event of the participation of Russia and Belarus. And this, even if they sported neutral colors.
The athletes were then banned from the Games on Thursday, without possible appeal. The Russians also left the Chinese capital on Sunday. The selection had 71 athletes in all. 33 in cross-country skiing and biathlon, 17 in ice hockey, 10 in alpine skiing, 6 in snowboarding and 5 in curling.