The Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 just finished on February 20. After that, the Winter Paralympics will begin on the fourth of March. However, with tensions rising throughout the world, the International Olympic Committee has come forward with a strong statement.

The Russian Federation breached the Olympic Truce this month with armed conflict in Ukraine. Consequently, the IOC has called for all sports organizations across the globe to prohibit athletes from Russia and Belarus from international events.

Certainly, tensions are quite high right now. Moreover, with the Paralympics set to start in four days, the immediate future of Russian Paralympians hangs in the balance.

The International Olympic Committee seeks support from all major sports organizations

Following Russia’s breach of the Olympic Truce, the International Olympic Committee has made a huge statement. They have called for all sports organizations in the world to ban athletes and officials hailing from Russia and Belarus.

According to their statement today, they recommend this harsh step “in order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants”. Moreover, the statement also kept in mind situations where legal reasons could hinder this step’s implementation. In such cases, the IOC recommended that the concerned athletes should compete as neutrals.

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Thus, the IOC is stern in its outlook, not wanting any athletes participating under the name of Russia or Belarus. Furthermore, athletes from across the world themselves have urged the presidents of the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Consequently, the International Paralympic Committee decided to convene a discussion regarding the same on Wednesday. The Winter Paralympics 2022 will commence in Beijing on Friday, the fourth of March. However, two days ahead of the Games, the IPC will discuss the question of Russian athletes and their participation in the Games.

International Paralympic Committee to Take a Major Decision on Russian Athletes’ Participation at Beijing Winter Paralympics 2022

The IOC made their statement “considering the extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce” by the Russian Federation. Additionally, they also cited “other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government in the past” as more reason.

International Paralympic Committee will hold a meeting on Wednesday

On Wednesday, two days prior to the Beijing Winter Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee discuss the matter. In a statement to Reuters, the IPC shared that “Wednesday is the earliest this meeting can take place”. This is because “board members (of the IPC are) in transit, coming to Beijing from around (the) world”.

However, before the IOC called for the blanket ban on Russian athletes, Paralympians from Russia were ready to go to Beijing. The International Paralympic Committee had allowed a team of seventy-one Russian Paralympians to compete.

It is getting closer, we now have four days to go. 🥌#Beijing2022 #WinterParalympics pic.twitter.com/u9NVqxmArc

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) February 28, 2022

Then, when athletes and organizations from all over the world urged both the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees to ban Russian athletes, the IOC came out with their statement on the issue.

What is your opinion on the matter? Should the Committee allow athletes to participate in games?

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