MOSCOW, Mar 3 Several National Paralympic Committees threatened to withdraw from the Paralympics in Beijing due to the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, said the head of the organization Andrew Parsons. The International Paralympic Committee on Thursday suspended Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in the Beijing Games, although on Wednesday the IPC decided to allow them in a neutral status.
"Over the last 12 hours, a huge number of participants have contacted us and have been very open, for which I am grateful. They told us that if we don't reconsider our decision, it will now likely have major implications for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. Several National Paralympic Committees, contacted by their governments, teams and athletes, are threatening not to compete,» Parsons is quoted on the IPC website.