"Italy, the Winter Olympic hosts, has called for a reversal of the decision to let 10 Russian and Belarusian athletes compete with national flags and anthems at next month's Paralympic Games. The foreign minister Antonio Tajani and sports minister Andrea Abodi urged the International Paralympic Committee to reconsider its stance due to Russia's four-year-old invasion of Ukraine, saying it contradicted the Olympic spirit."
"The Italian government expressed its absolute opposition to the IPC's ruling in September, saying in a statement that Rome's stance echoed that of 33 other countries and the European Commission. Russia's continued violation of the truce and Olympic and Paralympic ideals, supported by Belarus, is incompatible with the participation of their athletes in the Games, except as neutral individual athletes, the statement said."
"Russia's embassy in Italy said it was unacceptable to target athletes with disabilities. The harsh and undiplomatic stance taken by the two Italian politicians, backed by the authority of the government they represent, is offensive and deserves widespread condemnation, it said on Telegram. A planned press conference by IPC president Andrew Parsons for Friday was cancelled, according to the Olympics media site. No explanation was given."
Italy has requested that the International Paralympic Committee reverse its decision permitting 10 Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete with national flags and anthems at next month's Paralympic Games. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani and sports minister Andrea Abodi argued that Russia's four-year invasion of Ukraine contradicts the Olympic spirit and urged reconsideration. The Italian government said its position matched that of 33 other countries and the European Commission. The government statement said Russia's ongoing violations, supported by Belarus, make national participation incompatible with Olympic and Paralympic ideals except for neutral individual athletes. Russia's embassy criticized targeting athletes with disabilities.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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