With the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games starting on Saturday, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board met yesterday 2 March and announced:
- The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) Para athletes, coaches and support people and National Paralympic Committee of Belarus (NPC Belarus) Para athletes, coaches and support people will participate as neutrals at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. They will compete under the Paralympic flag and not be included in the medal table.
- The IPC is to host extraordinary General Assembly in 2022 to vote on whether to make compliance with the Olympic Truce a membership requirement and whether to suspend or terminate the membership of the Russian Paralympic Committee and Belarus Paralympic Committee.
- IPC will not hold any events in Russia or Belarus until further notice.
- Their statement and the full 8 points are detailed here: https://www.paralympic.org/press-release/ipc-makes-decisions-regarding-rpc-and-npc-belarus
Paralympics New Zealand is disappointed no stronger action could be taken at this time due to the legal and constitutional framework. We believe the actions of Russia in their attack on Ukraine is a clear breach of the Olympic Truce, and it is unfortunate there could not be greater consequences at this time.
Our thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine, as well as with the communities of all Para athletes, coaches, and staff members who may have friends or family affected by these horrific events.
