International Paralympic Committee Refuses to Investigate Russian Athletes Ahead of Paris Games Amid Controversy

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) does not intend to further investigate Russian athletes who have been admitted to participate in the Paris Paralympics.

Today, August 27, the head of the National Paralympic Committee Nezalezhnaya Valery Sushkevich in the form of an ultimatum he requested from the leadership of the IPC, the organizing committee of the Games and the President of France Emmanuel Macron Test the Russians again for neutral status, against the rules, by asking them questions about the situation in Ukraine. Sushkevich also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that political activities are prohibited at the Paralympics.

The IPC said it had appointed an independent private intelligence provider to assess the fitness of athletes and supporters ahead of the Games. An external law firm carefully reviewed the results against the selection criteria.

“Ukraine NPCs were also asked to provide any information they had about the preliminary list of participants from Russia and Belarus. The scientific and industrial center of Ukraine did not provide anything,” – TASS refers to the IPC press service.

Meanwhile, the head of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) Pavel Rozhkov report that the RKR has decided to refuse to participate in the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Paris.

“We were invited to participate in the ceremony as spectators. But we decided to refuse because it doesn’t make sense. The procedure is long and difficult, and for some athletes the competition starts the next day. Even when everything was normal, not all athletes participated in the opening event for these reasons. As for the closing ceremony, there will not be a classic parade of participants, just the exit of delegates. We have not yet decided whether we will participate. We will see how the situation develops.” – said Rozhkov in an interview with VseProSport.

EADaily report that Russians may only compete in neutral statusare banned from taking part in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games and their medals will not count towards their overall standings. At the tournament they will play without the flag, anthem and emblem of Russia, but with a tag NPA (neutral Paralympic athlete).

Meanwhile, another doping scandal occurred in Russian figure skating. Minor Varvara Horobchenko disqualified for five years for using illegal drugs.

Varvara Gorobchenko (center). Photo: Angels Plushenko

Such a measure is a very severe punishment for a young figure skater. Meldonium and sibutramine, prohibited by anti-doping regulations, were found in her sample. The first substance was banned relatively recently, at the beginning of 2016. Later, many athletes were caught in it, and finally the most famous punishment passed over the legendary tennis player Maria Sharapova.

With sibutramine things are more complicated. Unlike meldonium, it must be sold strictly by prescription. As a main component, sibutramine is included in weight loss drugs: “anorexigenic drug, an amphetamine derivative that increases the feeling of fullness.” In the context of figure skating, the question is relevant.

Officially, Gorobchenko represented the Volgograd region within Russia, but at the Minsk Friendship Cup she appeared under the auspices of Angels Plushenko.

The girl passed the fatal doping test in April 2023, when she was training in Moscow.

The athlete’s mother was in charge of the defensive line. According to Gorobchenko Sr., sibutramine entered her daughter’s body by accident. Like, the girl drank from her grandmother’s glass contaminated with pills – we have already heard a similar story somewhere (it was just a grandfather glass – YP)

“We were also unfortunate that this meeting was held after the hearings on the matter Valieva (remember your grandfather? – JP). They put it off, they delayed it, and I understood that they were focusing on a solution for Kamila. When I heard that Valieva was given four years, I understood that we would not have less,” – said the skater’s mother to SE.

However, the captain’s family does not blame the Academy and admits its mistake. However, Varvara has already finished her career – one way or another, a new chapter has opened in her life.

But in the sad story of Russian drugs, apparently, there is still a long way to go to the final point …