Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from the Winter Paralympic Games, less than 24 hours after the IPC announced it would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutral athletes.
Highlights
- The IPC reversed course and expelled athletes from Russia and Belarus.
- The change came less than 24 hours after the IPC announced it would allow Russians and Belarusians to compete when the Games open Friday.
- “We were trying to protect the Games from war,” IPC president Andrew Parsons said Thursday.
- The decision comes less than a day after Latvia said its curlers would refuse to play against the Russians in a scheduled group game.
- “That threatens the viability of this event.
- So that’s a huge change,” said IPC spokesman Craig Spence.