Olympic Games: Paralympics: IPC Paves the Way for the Return of Russian Athletes

The International Paralympic Committee has announced that the exclusion of Russian athletes from the Winter Games in Pyeongchang/South Korea will be relaxed.As the organisation announced on Wednesday, athletes from the four sports of alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and snowboarding will be allowed to compete for the qualification for the games until the probably decisive meeting of the WADA in November.

“The IPC is impressed and encouraged by the significant progress made by the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) in meeting the criteria for reinstatement,”said President Philip Craven.Of the seven criteria required by the IPC, five could be met in the near future, according to Craven.

However, it is important for the complete lifting of the ban on the RPC that WADA confirms the approval of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and that those responsible for Russian sport acknowledge the report of WADA’s special investigator Richard McLaren on systemic doping in Russia.

With this new measure, the IPC wants to prevent Russian athletes from having too few opportunities to qualify for the Paralympic Games in March 2018 if the suspension is lifted.Under a neutral flag, qualified athletes could return to Pyeongchang as Russian athletes if the RPC meets all requirements.