Britain has warned it will consider every form of protest unless Paralympic bosses overturn their decision not to kick Russia and Belarus out of the Beijing Games.
The XIII Winter Paralympics start tomorrow with widespread fury at organisers for bucking the global trend of slamming the door shut on the two pariah nations.
“The demands of athletes have been cast aside in favour of Russian interests,” the athletes of Ukraine said in a joint statement with lobby group Global Athlete.
“Sport administrators are choosing bloodshed and profits over principle and stakeholders.”
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries hit out at the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow Russia and Belarus to compete as 'neutral athletes' despite the invasion of Ukraine.
She raged: “I am extremely disappointed in the IPC – this is the wrong decision and I call on them to urgently reconsider.
“They must join the rest of the world in condemning this barbaric invasion by banning Russian and Belarussian athletes from competing.
“We will consider the full range of options in protest of this decision, in consultation with UK Sport and the British Paralympic Association.
“I will also be meeting with my international counterparts this week to discuss how we can respond collectively.”
The options open to the British Paralympic Association include boycotting either the Opening Ceremony and/or medal ceremonies.
Paralympic weightlifter Ali Jawad said it was entirely possible athletes could refuse to compete against the invading nations.
“If I was an athlete going to the Winter Games I would refuse," he said. "Me competing in sport is not bigger than human life.
“Unfortunately the IPC has put athletes in a very difficult spot now. Potentially it’s up to athletes to take it into their own hands and that is unfair on them. Because of the decision the IPC made I think there will be a lot of boycotts.”
ParalympicsGB are due to come face to face with Russia on Sunday when the two countries are drawn to meet each other in wheelchair curling.
It said it failed to see how allowing Russia and Belarus to compete was “compatible with the objectives of the Paralympic movement” given the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis.
It added: “We’ll be consulting further and reflecting on the implications for ParalympicsGB before making further comment.”
IPC president Andrew Parsons insisted that allowing Russia and Belarus to take part as neutrals and not be included in the medal table was the “harshest possible” punishment available to them under their constitution and current rules.
“This isn’t about politics, it’s about people’s lives which should be above any legality,” Jawad countered. “Maybe the IPC handbook and rules/regulations need changing by its members?”
Global Athlete agreed, pointing out that on Tuesday 19-year-old Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev was killed in combat in Ukraine defending his country.
“How many more lives need to be lost before sport implements meaningful sanctions?” it asked.
