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Russian Athletes Blocked From Competing At Rio Paralympics As Neutrals


Russian Paralympic Committee president Vladimir Lukin (file photo)
Russian Paralympic Committee president Vladimir Lukin (file photo)

Russia's disabled athletes won't be allowed to compete as neutrals at the Rio Paralympics after their country was banned over doping allegations.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) rejected more than 175 Russian athletes who filed individual cases to try to take part in the event running from September 7 to September 18, the organization announced on September 1.

The IPC has barred the entire Russian Paralympic team from competing in Rio, after an investigation found that Moscow ran a state-sponsored sports doping program.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport last week dismissed an appeal against the ban.

On August 31, a Swiss court dismissed the Russian Paralympic Committee's (RPC) request for provisional measures to allow Russian disabled athletes to compete in Rio.

RPC President Vladimir Lukin said Russia was planning to hold an alternative event for banned Paralympic athletes in the Moscow region on September 7-8.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax

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