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The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing as sanctions and restrictions fly high with the conflict in Ukraine escalating. 

On Thursday, the IPC said in a statement that "following a specially convened meeting, the IPC Governing Board has decided to refuse the athlete entries from the RPC [Russian Paralympic Committee] and NPC [National Paralympic Committee] Belarus for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games".

Furthermore, the statement pointed out that "This means that para-athletes from these respective countries will no longer be allowed to participate in the Games which open on 4 March 2022."

Earlier this week, the International Olympic Committee excluded Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from international events just after Putin announced the launching of Moscow's military operation against Ukraine. 

This move comes as a surprise: Just hours before, the IPC announced that it will be allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2022 Beijing Games - however, they can only participate as neutral athletes without colors, flags, and other symbols. 

UEFA set to suspend Russia 

UEFA is set to suspend Russian teams from all competitions, German sports agency SID - an AFP subsidiary - revealed.

The first Russian team affected would be Spartak Moscow, who faces RB Leipzig away in a Europa League last 16, first-leg tie on March 10.

According to SID, the decision to suspend Russia is supported by several national federations, including the powerful German and English associations.

"I can't imagine that there will be matches against Russia. There cannot - and must not - be," Peter Peters, a candidate for the German FA presidency, told the agency.

UEFA also announced that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in international competitions must play home matches at neutral venues "until further notice."