Entire Russian team banned from Rio Paralympics
Posted August 7, 2016 9:13 am.
Last Updated August 7, 2016 10:25 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (NEWS 1130) – The entire Russia team has been banned from competing in the Paralympic Games in September as punishment for the country’s systematic doping program.
“I believe the Russian government has catastrophically failed its Para athletes,” says International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven said. “Their medals over morals mentality disgusts me. The complete corruption of the anti-doping system is contrary to the rules and strikes at the very heart of the spirit of Paralympic sport.”
“It shows a blatant disregard for the health and well-being of athletes and, quite simply, has no place in Paralympic sport. Their thirst for glory at all costs has severely damaged the integrity and image of all sport,” he adds.
The committee’s blanket ban on Russia is in sharp contrast to the earlier decision by the IOC to allow individual sports to decide whether Russians can compete in the Olympics.
The IPC has strongly condemned Russia’s years of doping deception, including the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, that were exposed by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren last month.
McLaren reported that Russia’s state-backed doping led to samples from Paralympic athletes being made to disappear.
Russia, which says it will appeal the ruling, finished second in the medal standings at the 2012 London Paralympics and had 267 athlete slots for Rio in 18 sports.
