The International Paralympics' Committee (IPC) has suspended Russian athletes after their reports about their state-sponsored doping program were revealed and found true.
All 276 athletes from 18 sports will be suspended from the Paralympics this coming September 7. IPC president Philip Craven said it was really disgusting how Russia favors medals over morals. He added that it was very dangerous for the athletes' health with what they are doing. Not only they are cheating other countries but also their own athletes. According to Telegraph, this event is "one of the darkest days in the history of all sport." He was shocked at how the Russian government is involved with all of these.
It was found by the Canadian law professor, Richard McLaren, how the Russian government is cheating with their athletes' drug tests. BBC reported that from 2011 to 2015, the Russian government is replacing their athletes' urine samples to pass. In Richard McLaren's report, he stated that there are 27 samples that are related to eight Paralympics sport.
Furthermore, there were also samples in Sochi 2014 that was said to have been swapped. IPC is reanalyzing the Russian samples from that event. Russian Paralympics' Committee has now filed a case at Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the ban. Some athletes might be readmitted after the case is decided. A Russian Paralympic Committee member said in an interview that he is disappointed with IPC's decision. He was hoping the IPC will follow what IOC did, only ban those athletes who really cheated.
Unlike the IPC, IOC (International Olympics Committee) did not ban Russian Athletes. They did not make a stand and instead let the international federation do it. Other country's Paralympic committee applaud IPC's decision regarding this issue. They believe that it is better to do it this way than harm other innocent athletes' lives.
