The International Olympic Committee spared Russia a blanket ban from the Rio Olympics, but that won’t be the case at the Paralympics next month.
Russian athletes have been banned from the Paralympics following doping scandal
International Paralympics Committee president Sir Philip Craven said Russia’s actions were a “ body blow to clean, fair, honest sport.”
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The International Paralympics Committee announced Sunday it won’t allow Russian athletes to compete in the games following a high-profile doping scandal. The World Anti-Doping Agency issued a scathing report about the program, which “uncovered a state-run doping scheme that implicated 28 sports, both summer and winter, and ran from 2011 to 2015.” Russian officials also tampered with positive drug tests in order to prevent the country’s athletes from receiving discipline.
"The McLaren report marked one of the darkest days in the history of all sport," IPC president
Without Russia, the Paralympics field appears to be wide open. Russia finished second in the medal standings at the 2012 London Games.
On Aug. 3, IOC officials announced it will ban 119 Russian Athletes from this year’s Summer Olympics. Previously, only 68 athletes had been suspended.
The IOC was roundly lambasted after it stopped short of a complete ban. The IPC won’t be facing similar critiques.
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