Ukraine plans to participate in Paralympics, even if Russians and Belarusians will be there

Ukraine is determined to participate in the 2024 Paralympic Games and not to boycott the competition, even if Russian and Belarusian athletes will be present there in a neutral status.

Source: Suspilne, citing Valerii Sushkevych, President of the National Committee of Sports for Disabled People of Ukraine (National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine), at a press conference on the influence of Russia on the international Paralympic movement.

Quote from Sushkevych: "We are determined to participate in the Paralympics in Paris.

... We will do everything for the sake of the Ukrainian athlete who is fighting to make their victory a part of the victory over the war, and for them [Russians and Belarusians – ed.] not to participate in the Paralympics.

I don't want any opinion about not allowing the Ukrainian athlete to participate. When they were faced with bombings and a lack of funds, when they lived under occupation, stood in front of the 'orks' [the Russians – ed.] who searched them, were on the verge of death, when their family and friends died – and they are ready to win in the name of Ukraine; we must do everything needed so that this athlete [can compete – ed.]".

Details: At the same time, Sushkevych emphasised that Ukraine should focus all efforts on ensuring that the entire civilised Paralympic world does not allow the so-called neutrality procedure, which would "allow murderers, rapists and those who support murder and violence" to participate in the Paralympics in Paris.

Updated: Sushkevych stated in the commentary for Ukrainska Pravda that Ukraine had initiated the convocation of the extraordinary General Assembly of the European Paralympic Committee.

Quote: "We turned to the European Paralympic Committee with a demand to hold an extraordinary European General Assembly of the European Paralympic Committee with a question about non-admission of Russia and Belarus to participation in the Paralympics in Paris in any status."

Details: Sushkevych added that the Supreme Council appointed the date of the General Assembly to early 2024 in Latvia.

Background: 

• Russian and Belarusian athletes were excluded from the 2022 Paralympic Games in Beijing due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The International Paralympic Committee approved the full suspension.
• However, on 29 September, the International Paralympic Committee announced that it had admitted Russians and Belarusians to the 2024 Paralympic Games in a neutral status.
• The Suspilne publication emphasises that currently, the Paralympic team of Ukraine has 61 licences in 9 sports (cycling, academic rowing, athletics, swimming, bocce, shot put, archery, para-canoeing and table tennis) out of the 17 in which it plans to participate in the Paralympics-2024.

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