IPC suspends Russian and Belarusian committees with immediate effect

The International Paralympic Committee voted to suspend the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) of Russia and Belarus with immediate effect, placing their para-athletes' hopes of competing at the 2024 Paralympics in jeopardy, Report informs, citing Reuters.

Athletes from the two countries had previously been barred from competing in the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics in March over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, for which Belarus has been a staging area.

Russia's suspension was passed by 64 votes to 39, with 16 abstentions, at the IPC's extraordinary General Assembly in Berlin on Wednesday. The suspension of Belarus' NPC passed 54-45, with 18 abstentions.

Both NPCs were suspended for their "inability to comply with their membership obligations under the IPC Constitution."

"Due to their suspension, NPC Russia and NPC Belarus lose all rights and privileges of IPC membership, in accordance with the IPC Constitution," the IPC said in a statement.

"Both NPC Russia and NPC Belarus now have the right to appeal the decision.