Russian Paralympians Cleared to Compete at Paris Games

Russian Paralympic athletes will be allowed to compete at the 2024 Paris Games after officials voted against a full ban on Friday.

A majority of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) members voted to reject an outright ban at the organization's General Assembly in Manama, Bahrain.

Later on Friday, the IPC will decide whether the athletes will be permitted to compete under the Russian flag or if they will have to do so under neutral flags.

After Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the IPC banned athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus from competing, while also suspending both countries' Paralympic committees.

As a result, Paralympic athletes from both nations were barred from taking part in the Winter Paralympics in Beijing last March.

In Friday's vote, 74 IPC members voted against a motion for the complete suspension of Russia for "violation of its constitutional obligations as members."

A total of 65 votes were cast in favor of a complete suspension, while there were 13 abstentions.