The International Paralympic Commitee has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Winter Games in Beijing, which starts on Saturday.
IPC President Andrew Parsons has said that the rapidly escalating situation in Ukraine has put them in an impossible position and in order to preserve the integrity of the Games, the decision has now been made to refuse entries from Russia and Belarus.
Athletes from both countries had in recent days been allowed to compete as neutrals.
President of the IPC Andrew Parsons says backlash from other nations was impossible to ignore.
