While the IPC is calling for the so-called “Olympic Truce” to be followed, Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee President Valeriy Sushkevych is preparing to call for Russia to be banned, sources tell Kyiv Post.
Russian Paralympians may well pay the price for Russian government decisions for the second time in six years.
Kyiv Post has learned that Ukrainian Paralympic Committee President Valeriy Sushkevych is preparing to ask the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to ban the Russian Paralympic Committee from the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games based on Russia’s brutal attack and ongoing invasion of Ukraine this week.
An announcement is expected soon.
“This is a truly horrible situation, and we are greatly concerned about our National Paralympic Committee and Para athletes from Ukraine”, IPC President Andrew Parsons said in a statement yesterday.
“Our top priority right now is the safety and well-being of the Ukrainian delegation, with whom we are in regular dialogue.”
The Ukrainian Paralympic Committee has confirmed that it still plans to send its athletes to compete in Beijing. The team hopes to send 20 athletes and 9 guides to compete in in Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing events.
Ukraine finished fourth on the medal table at PyeongChang 2018.
Call for Russia Ban
Ukrainian Paralympic Committee President Valeriy Sushkevych will call for the ban of Russian athletes from the 2022 Paralympic Games, Kyiv Post has learned. A statement is expected shortly.
There is precedent.
Russian Paralympians were banned from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games due to the Russian doping scandal.
Further sanctions related to doping in Russia led to the 2018 team competing as “Neutral Paralympic Athletes” under the IPC flag and the 2020 team competing as “RPC” under the Russian Paralympic Committee flag.
With hundreds of civilians and army personnel dead after Russia began a massive invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 23, the participation of Russian athletes at the 2022 Paralympic Games is a very open question.
Other international sports organisations are facing similar questions.
European football body UEFA has reportedly stripped the rights to hold this year’s Champions League Final from St. Petersburg, while Poland, Russia’s opponents in the FIFA World Cup playoffs in March, have said that they will not now play Russia. Polish Football Union chief Cezary Kulesh confirmed the news Feb. 26.
IPC Calls for Olympic Truce to be Followed
The idea of an Olympic Truce dates to Ancient Greece when warring city-states would take a break from their fighting for the duration of the Olympic Games. Host cities have passed a non-binding resolution at the UN calling for an Olympic Truce throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
China sponsored this year’s Olympic Truce at the UN.
Russia is a co-sponsor.
Parsons sidestepped any calls of a Russian ban in his remarks yesterday, instead calling for the so-called Olympic Truce to be followed.
Without saying Russia by name, he said:
“World leaders must observe their commitment to the Olympic Truce, in particular those Member States who are a co-sponsor of the resolution”.
Parsons specifically made a plea for the safe passage of the Ukrainian team to be able to compete at Beijing 2022.
“One key aspect of the Truce is ensuring the safe passage, access, and participation of athletes, officials, and all accredited persons taking part in the Games”, he said. “We need to find a solution for this as soon as possible so that the Ukrainian delegation can travel to and from the Games safely”.
Politics or inclusivity
The whole idea behind the Paralympic Games is to give people with impairments additional opportunities for growth and success. The IPC’s main mission is to make the world more inclusive through sport.
“Sport is a tremendous platform to showcase to the world what can be achieved when people of all nations come together in peace and solidarity”, said Parsons.
“The world must be a place for sharing, not for dividing. I hope and pray world leaders take heed of this”.
The IPC banned Russian athletes from the 2016 Paralympic Games for a government-sanctioned doping scheme.
Valeriy Sushkevych, President of National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine (Paralympic.org)
With the banning precedent set at state-sponsored doping, Sushkevych’s call for the banning of the Russia team will force the IPC to answer this question: Should sanctions for state-sponsored doping be any harsher than those for blatant violations of its Olympic Truce by a co-sponsoring Member State?
With the 2022 Paralympic Games set to begin on March 4, the answer will be known soon.
