Beijing, March 3 : The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board on Thursday refused to let Russian and Belarusian athletes take part in the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games after several National Paralympics Committees threatened not to compete in the games. The decision came after the IPC announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate as neutrals at the Winter Paralympics. “In the last 12 hours, an overwhelming number of members have been in touch with us and been very open… They have told us that if we do not reconsider our decision, it is now likely to have grave consequences for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. “Multiple NPCs, some of which have been contacted by their governments, teams and athletes, are threatening not to compete. “In order to preserve the integrity of these Games and the safety of all participants, we have decided to refuse the athlete entries from Russian and Belarus.” BAV MR
