A Team GB Paralympian says members of the Russian team have been taunting members of the Ukrainian team over their homes being bombed. It comes as Russian and Belarusian athletes will be banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics.
Paralympian Richard Whitehead was speaking on Good Morning Britain on Thursday morning, alongside Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad, about the U-turn by the Paralympic authorities. Gold medallist Richard, from Nottingham, said about the decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC): "I'm sorry we're having to talk in these terrifying times, and [that] the IPC initially should shirk their responsibility by placing the decision more towards the national governing bodies and individuals where this decision should have been made for the athletes, for the movement and as a Paralympic athlete, as disabled people."
The IPC’s initial announcement on Wednesday that athletes from those countries would be allowed to compete under a neutral flag was met by criticism and the threat of a boycott. In a further statement on Thursday morning, IPC president Andrew Parsons said: “In taking our decision yesterday, we were looking at the long-term health and survival of the Paralympic Movement. We are fiercely proud of the principles and values that have made the Movement what it is today.
