Putin calls ban on Russians inhumane

Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked the ban on his country from the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics as immoral and inhumane on Thursday, while six Russian athletes launched a bid to compete at next month’s games as individuals.

Russia was suspended on Aug. 7 over what International Paralympic Committee president Philip Craven called a “medals over morals” culture with evidence of state-sponsored doping.

The ban was confirmed Tuesday when the Court of Arbitration of Sport rejected a Russian appeal.

“The decision to disqualify our Paralympians is outside the bounds of law, morality and humanity,” Putin said at an award ceremony for Olympic athletes at the Kremlin.

He called the ruling against Russia “cynical” and claimed that “it even humiliates those who take such decisions.”

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added to the criticism, calling the ban “collective responsibility for an unproven crime.”

While Russia has accepted there were some shortcomings in its anti-doping system, it insists drug use was not systemic or supported by the government.

The Paralympics start Sept. 7. On Thursday, six Russian athletes, including three gold medallists , wrote to IPC president Craven asking for a route into the games as individuals.