* Ukraine hits out at Winter Paralympics for lifting ban on Russia
- Only Russians entered as neutrals are allowed at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
- But the Paralympics could now see athletes from Russia and war ally Belarus compete under their flag again in Italy in March.
- "It's unjust, and we think it's not appropriate to give the opportunity to terrorist states to make sportswashing of their crimes," Ukrainian sports minister Matvii Bidnyi told...
Ukraine says the Paralympics should not have lifted its ban on Russia - disputing its claim it is no longer clear that sport is being used to promote the war.
Only Russians entered as neutrals are allowed at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
But the Paralympics could now see athletes from Russia and war ally Belarus compete under their flag again in Italy in March.
“It’s unjust, and we think it’s not appropriate to give the opportunity to terrorist states to make sportswashing of their crimes,” Ukrainian sports minister Matvii Bidnyi told Sky News.
“We continue to underline it, to remind the international Olympic committee and other international sports federations that this is more than just some conflict. It’s an existential question.”
Speaking from Kyiv, Mr bidnyi pointed to Russian athletes being able to use sports facilities in Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
In the last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced sanctions on the Russian Paralympic Committee and its leader for using sport to justify the war and spread anti-Ukrainian narratives.
“We have a lot of evidence this organisation, the Paralympic committee of Russia, supports the war,” Mr Bidnyi said.
Their position is backed by more than 30 countries, including Britain.
“We opposed Russia and Belarus returning to the fold under their own flag,” ParalympicsGB chef de mission Phil Smith told Sky News.
“We were very vocal about that and have been one of the nations who have really spoken out. so our position is we don’t believe Russia or Belarus should be at the Paralympic Games.”