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Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from Paralympics in stunning about-face

39 Comments
By STEPHEN WADE

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39 Comments

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My heart goes out to the individual paralympic athletes. But the Olympics/Paralympics have become a completely political tool. I would seriously suggest they consider changing nationality if they personally do not agree with Russia/Belarus' actions against Ukraine, and they want to continue their lives as athletes. And if they do agree with them. too bad.

4 ( +15 / -11 )

And we do the hokey pokey

IOC = pathetic joke

-1 ( +11 / -12 )

So far the sanctions have hurt ordinary russians and some outside busineses, the war has killed people on both sides and destroyed the infrastructure of a country so when people return it wont be life as normal. A very rich man has sold his house in london and his football team but not at a massive loss.

Lots and lots and lots of clapping by the virtue-signalling-elite and now some poor atheletes who have trained hard for years will be forced out.

WHEN? is it going to be Putins turn. He seems to have not had anything bad happen accept for a war-crime trial date in the future and in reality he may die of old age before that happens.

I may know very little about the politics in these countries but I do know that nothing that Boris Johnson does, nothing his party does and nothing the 650 well-paid puffed-up clapping sychophants do has any relation to what I want or how I think the world should be and I think it is very likely that these atheletes are in the same position. Democratic leaders rarely pay attention to us normal people so Putin may be a dictator but the lives of us ordinary people is more or less the same.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

What a joke. As if these athletes have anything to do with the political situation or any influence over what Russia is doing. Looks like the IPC can be just as shameful as the IOC.

8 ( +17 / -9 )

i am sorry but this very...unhuman.strange.weird.

you say.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

What a joke. As if these athletes have anything to do with the political situation or any influence over what Russia is doing. Looks like the IPC can be just as shameful as the IOC.

Probably not. But so are children in Ukraine.

Only Russian people can stop their senile crazy president, and having them suffer like this is the only way the world can react for now.

7 ( +17 / -10 )

Sanity has prevailed.

You cannot reward fascist regimes who invade sovereign nations and subject them to a war of terror with allowing them to compete in international sporting competitions.

There are consequences when nations attack others and kill innocent people. Rightly so.

1 ( +13 / -12 )

News sources are saying that the principle reason was that other teams and athletes had refused to compete if Russia/Belarus took part.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

The hypocrisy here is astounding. They're banning disabled neutral athletes (who happen to hold Russian and Belarusian citizenship) because other athletes are threatening to boycott matches in political protest. Remind me what happens to athletes who boycott Israeli competitors to protest the treatment of Palestinians? That's right, a 10 year ban.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

@Fighto!

Just because some people do no agree with you, it does not mean that they are Russian-sponsored

8 ( +12 / -4 )

That will teach Putin and his sidekick. Bet they decide to call off the attack because of this bold gesture.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

I delighted this has happened.

It had to be done to show Putin what an arse he is.

I do feel sorry for the athletes.

And maybe it will be the end of the farce the Olympics has become.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

M3, my friend, the line has been drawn.

Citizenship?

How many more Ukrainian athletes will be able to compete in the Paralympics, simply because they were disabled because of the flaws of one man President Putin?

Call that a low blow if you wish.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Sadly they are being paid in worthless Roubles not $.

hilarious !

All the winners will know they didn't beat the best in the world.

& they will care not one bit, as they polish their medals

5 ( +7 / -2 )

I don't like this. The para-Olympians have already arrived. I'm all for banning athletes and the countries that support and cover up doping but this isn't the case with these para-athletes. A future ban maybe but this is pretty heartless.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Pitty the killed and mutilated children of Ukraine instead of some athletes. Good call, IOC and wishing never to see anyone from Russia in any sports event ever.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Russian friends and colleagues in UK have requested help in becoming full UK citizens.

They all are confirmed Russian patriots.

Putin has betrayed, disembowelled his own people and ordered acts of genocide, on Ukraine's men women and children.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Good.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Speed, tough on the athletes? They will live to get over it; the orphans Poo tin is creating in Ukraine would rather have their parents. Little Polina, her parents and her brother and wounded sibling are more deserving of your concern.

Take the rose coloured spectacles off and see the reality.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Many of those athletes have already faced a hardship in their life , then they are unfortunately banned one day before the Olympics for which they have trained hardly. Sad for them.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

G O O D !

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

How big of them to punish the disabled.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

mountaingrill

News sources are saying that the principle reason was that other teams and athletes had refused to compete if Russia/Belarus took part.

This is true. It's called eliminating the strong competition.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

About time. More important is why they are holding the games in China at all. That is especially relevant now it is known that Putin used the previous Olympics to timetable his Ukraine invasion. Basic ethical standards should ban these warmongering, genocidal, dictatorships from all sports. Sport is not exempt from moral responsibility.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

The Avenger

these warmongering, genocidal,

Which wars did China ignite since its independence, and what genocide did it comet?

And, by the way, how many wars did the US ignite during the same period? And whats the numbers of victims of those wars?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

There shouldn't even be a olympic while a war is waging on. What kind of athlete would you be to still be willing to take part in sports when so much suffering is going on. All for some medal.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Which wars did China ignite since its independence, and what genocide did it comet?

If your in China behind the great firewall you will not be able to source the truth.

And, by the way, how many wars did the US ignite during the same period? And whats the numbers of victims of those wars?

Is that relevant to Russia's war against the people of Ukraine?

The three strongest nations in the world have been in and started conflicts over the past 100 years. That is truth. Who has killed the most? Well Mao and Stalin killed Millions each, of their own people.

So they have killed more than the US by far.

Russia currently working to increase their figure in Ukraine.

You think the US is the worst out of the big three? Not even close. Russia and China lead the pack thanks to their domestic death tolls. Killing your own is even worse than killing others in war.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Yes, certainly Putin shivers now full of fear when some innocent disabled sportspeople are discriminated, bullied and excluded. I consider to begin to wonder who is more sick in the head.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Yes, certainly Putin shivers now full of fear when some innocent disabled sportspeople are discriminated, bullied and excluded.

Impossible as Putin does not care about anyone. A nation found systematically doping its sports people, including children. Banned for it. Now banned for starting an invasion. Should it be overlooked? The majority of the world does not believe so. Now they are banned for this Paralympics. Complain to the world about it. The world forced it to happen.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

certainly Putin shivers now full of fear when some innocent disabled sportspeople are discriminated, bullied and excluded.

What a silly comment. It’s a negative PR impact for Putin no doubt, but hardly something to have him shivering in fear. Why would you think he cares about the Paralympics to the point that he’d shiver in fear, right in the middle of his invasion of a sovereign nation?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Wow ..That's hard!

Banning cripples from a disabled sports event.

The Ukrainians are now sure of victory...

Pathetic.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Those athletes always wish for being treated normal. So it is only normal to get banned when your murderer country goes to their neighbours and kills innocent civilians, children included. That's nothing compared to what Ukraine has to suffer. Besides, why do you think others want to participate in the same event with people from a murdering country?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

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