MOSCOW, Mar 16, Vasily Bogdanov.Two-time 2014 Paralympic champion in cross-country skiing and biathlon Vladislav Lekomtsev admitted in a conversation with that the suspension from the Beijing Games would be easier to survive if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made this decision immediately. On February 28, the IOC recommended that international sports federations prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in international competitions because of the situation around Russia and Ukraine. On March 2, the teams of Russia and Belarus were allowed to participate in the Paralympic Games in Beijing, but after 17 hours the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) changed its mind and banned them from participating in the Games. «We had a very difficult road to Beijing, it took two or three days «After landing, they immediately got on their phones to see what news we had. They saw that they still allow it, they were very happy. They began to think about the upcoming starts, tune in, even had one training session. And when they returned to the hotel, they found out what to perform It would be better to immediately say that they were suspended than like this, giving hope. It would be easier to survive it. We were explained that some athletes do not want to go to the competitions with us. They also said that at the political level there was pressure on federation,» Kopytin said. «At first it was hard to put up with it. The return to Russia, communication with relatives helped, in the end the situation was released. Life goes on, we are not going to end our careers, we will continue to work to prove and prove that battles should take place exclusively on ski slopes. The tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk will be useful psychologically. I am sure that we will enjoy the competitions, especially since we are always well received in Ugra,” the athlete added. Paralympic Games “We are together. Sports» will be held in Khanty-Mansiysk from March 18 to March 21. It is planned to hold competitions in six sports — cross-country skiing, biathlon, curling, snowboarding, alpine skiing, sledge hockey. In addition to Russian athletes, Paralympic athletes from Belarus, Tajikistan and Armenia.
