The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) has started a petition to get its membership in the IPC reinstated after it was suspended. According to RPC President Pavel Rozhkov, his group seeks to change the “unequal” perception of athletes from his nation.
The national committees from Belarus and Russia were suspended by the IPC as a result of a decision made at an emergency general assembly held in Berlin in November.
Due to the situation in Ukraine, the RPC and its Belarusian equivalent were accused by the international organisation of being “unable to comply with their membership responsibilities.”
It is commonly believed that the membership ban imposed in November has made it more difficult for Russian and Belarusian para-athletes to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
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The RPC’s president, Rozhkov, told TASS on Monday that his group is attempting to get the suspension lifted, if only temporarily, while a more comprehensive appeal is being heard.
“The decision of the IPC General Assembly violates not only the rights [of the RPC], but also the rights of athletes… since it deprives them of the right to participate in all IPC events and clearly indicates an unequal attitude towards [Russian and Belarusian] athletes compared with para-athletes from other countries,” Rozhkov said, according to TASS.
“The RPC has applied to the IPC Appeals Tribunal with a motion to impose interim measures in the form of a suspension of the execution of the decision of the IPC Extraordinary General Assembly, pending consideration of an appeal from the RPC.
“If the decision remains in place pending appeal, the athletes will miss out on the opportunity to compete, resulting in their inability to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games or other major events, meaning they will miss the entire Paralympic sporting season,” Rozhkov added.
Paralympians from Russia and Belarus were disqualified from competing at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing back in March after the IPC reversed its initial decision to allow them to compete as neutrals.
The International Olympic Committee’s restrictions have not been met by the RPC’s present suspension of Russian and Belarusian membership (IOC).
Despite the IOC’s recommendation to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing internationally, their respective national Olympic organisations have continued to be members.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to look into Asian-based suggestions on a potential return to competition for Russian and Belarusian athletes under neutral status at a summit earlier this month in Switzerland.
The action is considered as a step in the right direction for competitors hoping to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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