Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:14am on 26 Nov 2025,Wednesday Sports
The UK and 32 other countries have expressed serious concern over the International Paralympic Committee's decision to lift suspensions on Russia and Belarus. IPC President Andrew Parsons explained the reinstatement wasn't linked to the Ukraine war but to reduced evidence of using Paralympic sport for promoting the conflict. The initial 2023 suspension occurred because both nations promoted what Russia called the "special operation" through Paralympic sports. Parsons noted that banning countries for launching wars isn't a breach of IPC constitution, despite government beliefs otherwise. Russia and Belarus were banned from Beijing 2022 Paralympics after Ukraine's invasion. However, no Russian or Belarusian teams will compete at Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics due to ongoing federation bans. (PC: Reuters)
