Russian, Belarusian Paralympic medal wins in Paris won’t count

In the upcoming Paris Paralympics, athletes from Russia and Belarus who achieve podium placements will not see their victories reflected in the official Games medals tally, as stated by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Wednesday.

These athletes will participate under the designation of Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) and will wear uniforms devoid of any national symbols. This decision follows the IPC’s choice not to uphold a complete ban on the two nations, initially imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The IPC elaborated that victories by neutral athletes would be omitted from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games medal table. In instances where a neutral athlete secures a gold medal, the Paralympic anthem will be played in lieu of the national anthems of Russia or Belarus. Furthermore, the display of Russian and Belarusian national flags and any symbols tied to the nations’ military are strictly banned at any Paralympic venue.

Moreover, neutral athletes will be excluded from participating in the opening ceremony’s march and will not have a flagbearer during the closing ceremony. Additionally, these athletes will undergo an independent screening process to confirm they have no ties to the military and have not expressed support for the conflict in Ukraine, which Russia describes as a “special military operation.”

Belarus has served as a key logistical hub for Russian military forces and equipment throughout the invasion.