Russian Paralympic team’s ban from Rio Games

sneaky war against Russia

The decision was announced at the press conference in Rio de Janeiro, where Olympic games are currently taking place.

The ruling comes despite the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) refusal to implement a total ban on Russian athletes for the 2016 Rio Games.The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had asked the IOC to ban Russia after the release of the Canadian Lawyer Richard McLaren’s report, but each individual sporting federation was given the power to decide if Russian athletes could compete.Nearly 300 athletes were given the green light to take part, while some competitors are still making last ditch attempts through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have their suspensions overturned.Commissioned by WADA, McLaren's report centered on accusations made in the New York Times by the former head of Russia's national anti-doping laboratory, Grigory Rodchenkov.

Rodchenkov, who is facing criminal charges in Russia, and now lives in United States, alleged he doped dozens of athletes in the run-up to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi with the help of the Russian government.The IPC initially opened provisional suspension proceedings against Russia's Paralympic committee in July, after McLaren's report claimed there were a total of 35 "disappeared tests" in disability sports over a four-year period.After further consultation with McLaren, the IPC board has decided to impose a suspension that will remain in force during the Paralympics.

The IPC president Sir Philip Craven had described the scandal as

"one of the darkest days in the history of our sport."

“We have taken the necessary time to ask further questions of Professor McLaren and his investigation team, to await the results of samples undergoing further forensic examination and to invite the Russian Paralympic Committee to present its case to the IPC and enter into dialogue with the IPC Governing Board.”

“Our decision is driven by the need to hold our members accountable for their obligations. On the basis of the evidence we have, in the current environment our member the Russian Paralympic Committee cannot comply with the IPC’s Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code,”

added Craven.When taking questions from journalists, he said,

“We took the decision that we feel is right for our movement.”

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has said that Russia will submit an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following the IPC’s decision.

“We will submit an appeal to the CAS. We will fight for our Paralympians,”

he said, stressing that the sports ministry and the Russian Paralympic Committee will do their best to reverse the decision.In line with the IPC’s Suspension Policy, the Russian Paralympic Committee now has 21 days (until 28 August) to appeal the decision.Following the decision, the IPC is now working with the relevant international federations to determine how the 267 slots Russian athletes had secured across 18 sports for Rio 2016 can potentially be redistributed to other national Paralympic Committees.A final decision will not be taken on redistributing these slots until after the outcome of any potential appeal by the Russian Paralympic Committee is decided.