R-SPORT: ROZHKOV - THERE IS NO QUESTION OF EXCLUDING RPC REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE IPC LEADERSHIP
NOVOGORSK (Moscow Region), September 12 - RIA News, Andrey Simonenko. More than 30 representatives of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) continue to work in the governing bodies of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and international sports federations and there is no question of their exclusion, said RPC President Pavel Rozhkov.
"Unfortunately, the IPC followed the recommendation (of the head of the International Olympic Committee) Thomas Bach, our Paralympians are not allowed to participate in international competitions in almost all sports, except for wheelchair tennis and chess - in a neutral status. More than 30 of our representatives continue to work in the governing bodies of the IPC and international sports federations, the question of their exclusion is not raised, we participate in all meetings, and quite actively," Rozhkov said at a board meeting of the Ministry of Sport.
"Just recently FIDE awarded a victory in the nomination for fortitude to our head chess and a draughts coach Svetlana Gerasimova, we believe that this is a high assessment of our representative in the international federation, "- added the head of the Russian Paralympic Committee.
Russian Paralympians were not allowed to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio by the decision of the IPC. At the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, the Russians competed in neutral status. In February 2019, the IPC decided to conditionally reinstate the membership of the Russian Paralympic Committee. On February 28, the International Olympic Committee recommended that international sports federations not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions because of the situation around Russia and Ukraine. On March 2, the Russian and Belarusian teams were allowed to participate in the Beijing Paralympics, but 17 hours later the IPC changed its decision and banned them from the Games.
"Unfortunately, the IPC followed the recommendation (of the head of the International Olympic Committee) Thomas Bach, our Paralympians are not allowed to participate in international competitions in almost all sports, except for wheelchair tennis and chess - in a neutral status. More than 30 of our representatives continue to work in the governing bodies of the IPC and international sports federations, the question of their exclusion is not raised, we participate in all meetings, and quite actively," Rozhkov said at a board meeting of the Ministry of Sport.
"Just recently FIDE awarded a victory in the nomination for fortitude to our head chess and a draughts coach Svetlana Gerasimova, we believe that this is a high assessment of our representative in the international federation, "- added the head of the Russian Paralympic Committee.
Russian Paralympians were not allowed to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio by the decision of the IPC. At the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, the Russians competed in neutral status. In February 2019, the IPC decided to conditionally reinstate the membership of the Russian Paralympic Committee. On February 28, the International Olympic Committee recommended that international sports federations not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions because of the situation around Russia and Ukraine. On March 2, the Russian and Belarusian teams were allowed to participate in the Beijing Paralympics, but 17 hours later the IPC changed its decision and banned them from the Games.