IPC Membership

Via email

Bonn, 07 August 2016

Immediate suspension of the Russian Paralympic Committee
Dear IPC Member,
Please be informed that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has suspended the
Russian Paralympic Committee with immediate effect for its inability to fulfil its IPC
membership responsibilities and obligations, in particular the obligation to comply with and
abide by the IPC Anti-Doping Code and World Anti-Doping Code.
This has without doubt been the hardest decision the IPC has ever had to take, but it was
taken unanimously by the IPC Governing Board after evaluating all the evidence it had
before it.
The effect of the suspension is that the Russian Paralympic Committee loses all rights and
privileges of IPC membership. In particular, a member is not entitled to be heard, except
with respect to their suspension, or to vote at meetings of members, and/or to enter
athletes in competitions sanctioned by the IPC, and/or to participate in IPC activities.
Consequently, the Russian Paralympic Committee will not be able to enter its athletes in
the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
In line with the IPCs Suspension Policy, the Russian Paralympic Committee now has 21
days (28 August) to appeal the decision.
This verdict will be made public by the IPC at 17:00 CEST on Sunday 7 August at a
press conference in Rio, Brazil, and until this time, the information in this letter is
strictly confidential.
Full details behind the IPCs decision can be found in the Press Release in the second
attachment.
Following the decision to suspend the Russian Paralympic Committee, the IPC is now
working with the relevant International Federations to determine how the 267 slots Russian
athletes had secured across 18 sports for Rio 2016 can be potentially redistributed.

International Paralympic Committee

Adenauerallee 212-214
53113 Bonn, Germany

Tel. +49 228 2097-200

Fax +49 228 2097-209

www.paralympic.org
xavier.gonzalez@paralympic.org

The IPC will now start developing the steps the Russian Paralympic Committee need to take
in order to fulfil its IPCs membership obligations in full and have its suspension lifted.
Should you have any questions on this matter, please contact the IPC Membership team at
membership@paralympic.org
Kind regards

Xavier Gonzalez
Chief Executive Officer
International Paralympic Committee

2/2