Intl Paralympic Committee lifts ban on Russia ahead of Paris games
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The Committee members passed the decision after a 74-65 (13 abstentions) against the motion to keep the full block against Russia's participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
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Russia's team arrives during the opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 24, 2021 (AFP)
After the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) members shut down the full ban on Russia and voted against it on Friday, Russian athletes will now finally be able to compete as full participants or neutral athletes at the next Paralympics to be held in the French city of Paris next year.
In its statement, the IPC said: "At the IPC General Assembly in Bahrain, IPC members voted 74-65 (13 abstentions) against a motion to fully suspend NPC (National Paralympic Committee) Russia for breaches of its constitutional membership obligations".
This news will come as a shock to French President Emmanuel Macron who said Thursday that the Russian national flag should not be displayed at the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024 allegedly due to Russia's involvement in war crimes and the deportation of children, actions that have drawn international condemnation.
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In an interview with the French sports daily L'Equipe, Macron firmly expressed his position, saying, "Of course, there can be no Russian flag during the Paris Games. I think there is a consensus on that matter because Russia, as a country, is not welcome at a time when it has committed war crimes and deported children."
He also emphasized that the responsibility for determining the participation of Russian athletes should lie with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
UEFA brings it back
Since the breakout of the war in Ukraine last year, Russian athletes and teams have been banned from one sports game to another as a result of politicization such as the UEFA league for football.
UEFA stripped Saint Petersburg of the hosting rights of the 2022 Champions League final last year and canceled a sponsorship deal with Gazprom, the Russian energy giant.
However, this year, many competitions have been lifting the full ban on Russian participation and UEFA was one of them this week. It decided to allow for the return of Russian youth teams at a meeting of its executive committee.
The decision paved the way for Russia's Under-17 teams, boys and girls, to be readmitted to its competitions immediately, "in the course of this season...even when draws have already been held."
UEFA argued that a "generation of minors" was being deprived of the right to compete and that children should not be punished for the actions of adults.
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However, it said Russian teams would not be able to play on Russian territory, and that the country's flag, anthem, and national playing kit would be barred.
Ukraine has repeatedly called for bans on Russia from international sporting events and has threatened to boycott the 2024 Paris Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes take part.
