Russian and Belarusian Athletes to Compete as Neutrals in Paris Paralympics, Excluded from Ceremonies

The International Paralympic Committee has imposed stricter participation rules for Russian and Belarusian athletes, barring them from the opening and closing ceremonies.

Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete under a neutral banner at the Paris Paralympics, following the IPC's decision to exclude them from the opening and closing ceremonies.
The IPC's guidelines are stricter than those of the International Olympic Committee, which allows neutrals to participate in the Olympics' opening ceremony.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus can compete as neutrals if they have not shown support for the war in Ukraine and are not tied to their countries' military or security agencies.
Medal wins by Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be recorded on the Paralympic Games medals table, and the Paralympic anthem will be played for gold medal victories.
The IPC has previously taken a tougher stance on Russia than the IOC, excluding the Russian team from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics due to a doping scandal.