Paralympics Organizers Bar Russians And Belarusians From Opening And Closing Ceremonies In Paris

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been barred from marching in this year's Paralympics opening ceremony in Paris, even if they are approved to compete as neutrals. The International Paralympic Committee set limits on athletes from the two countries that are stricter than those detailed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Paris Games, which open one month earlier. The IOC in December decided against a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes over the invasion of Ukraine. At the Paris Olympics, Russian and Belarusian athletes approved as neutrals -- first by governing bodies of individual sports, then in further vetting overseen by the IOC -- can take part in the July 26 opening ceremony.