THE RUSSIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE CAN DEMAND COMPENSATION IN COURT FOR MISSING THE GAMES
MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) may sue in a civil court in Germany to compensate financial losses and moral damage caused to the organization and athletes due to the ineligibility for the Beijing Games. This was reported to TASS by acting President of the RPC Pavel Rozhkov.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has not allowed Russian athletes to participate in the Beijing Games due to the situation in Ukraine, the decision was made a day before the start of the competition. It was impossible to challenge it in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to peculiarities of the IPC Constitution.
"The International Paralympic Committee never sent us a fully formulated position. It was said that at the Games they fear for safety , which was the reason for our exclusion. We didn't commit any violations from our side, but we made no demarches and quietly left as it is important for us to remain a part of the International Paralympic movement," said Rozhkov.
"At the same time we continue consulting with the lawyers. We do not exclude the possibility to file a lawsuit to the court of registration of the International Paralympic Committee, the headquarters of which is situated in Bonn. We want to get compensation for moral and property losses. Our specialists are currently studying this question, we will take into consideration our colleagues' experience", - he stressed.
Rozhkov reminded that a lot of money was spent on the preparation of Russian team for the Games. "At the end of February the International Paralympic Committee approved our participation in the Paralympics, agreed the outfit and confirmed the qualifying competitions and doping-testing. We have incurred huge material costs, we have honestly prepared for the Games for four years, provided membership dues," - he said.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has not allowed Russian athletes to participate in the Beijing Games due to the situation in Ukraine, the decision was made a day before the start of the competition. It was impossible to challenge it in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to peculiarities of the IPC Constitution.
"The International Paralympic Committee never sent us a fully formulated position. It was said that at the Games they fear for safety , which was the reason for our exclusion. We didn't commit any violations from our side, but we made no demarches and quietly left as it is important for us to remain a part of the International Paralympic movement," said Rozhkov.
"At the same time we continue consulting with the lawyers. We do not exclude the possibility to file a lawsuit to the court of registration of the International Paralympic Committee, the headquarters of which is situated in Bonn. We want to get compensation for moral and property losses. Our specialists are currently studying this question, we will take into consideration our colleagues' experience", - he stressed.
Rozhkov reminded that a lot of money was spent on the preparation of Russian team for the Games. "At the end of February the International Paralympic Committee approved our participation in the Paralympics, agreed the outfit and confirmed the qualifying competitions and doping-testing. We have incurred huge material costs, we have honestly prepared for the Games for four years, provided membership dues," - he said.