Overview
- Andrew Parsons says National Paralympic Committees may attend only with qualified athletes, which Russia and Belarus lack for the Games in Italy.
- The IPC General Assembly unexpectedly ended the suspensions of both countries in September, but sport entries are determined by the four relevant federations.
- Decisions and criteria set by those federations resulted in no Russian or Belarusian athletes achieving qualification.
- Parsons emphasizes focusing on athletes who can compete on site and says the IPC respects member nations expressing their views during the event.
- He forecasts a strong showing from Germany and identifies China as a new winter powerhouse that is elevating competitive standards.