Russia will run own events for banned Paralympians

RUSSIAN president Vladimir Putin attacked the ban on his country from the Rio Paralympics as immoral and inhumane yesterday.

Russia was suspended on August 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 on Tuesday when the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected a Russian appeal.

“The decision to disqualify our Paralympians is outside the bounds of law, morality and humanity,” Putin said at an awards 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 on September 7.

Special competitions will be organised in Russia for banned Paralympic athletes with winners getting the same prizes they would have had from success in Rio, Putin said. Russia awards cash prizes to Olympic and Paralympic medallists. – AP