British Paralympic Association Statement - Beijing 2022

“The British Paralympic Association (BPA) stands united with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in condemning the actions of the Russian government in Ukraine and our thoughts and prayers are with our Ukrainian counterparts at this time.

“Participation in the Paralympic Games is a matter for the IPC and the IPC Governing Board is meeting on Wednesday 2nd March to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We recognise that the IPC is bound by its constitution to be a non-political body and we support them in delivering a peaceful Games for the benefit of all athletes.

Given the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine we cannot see how the participation of Russia or Belarus in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games is compatible with the objectives of the Paralympic movement. The safety and wellbeing of our athletes and team is our primary concern. We await the decision of the IPC on Wednesday before commenting further.”