Russia "remains suspended from competing" at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics after the IPC upheld its ban, according to the BBC. The IPC made the decision on Wednesday with a further review later this year, but said that "athletes could compete under a neutral banner." Russia was banned from all Paralympic competition by the IPC in Aug. '16 "after revelations of systematic doping." The IPC will conduct another review in November after the WADA Foundation board meeting and "two scenarios are possible." The ban "could be lifted, in which case Russian athletes who have qualified would be free to compete for their country at the 2018 Games, or the ban could be continued." In the case of the ban being continued, it would be up to the newly-elected IPC governing board, with a new president to be elected on Friday, "to decide whether select athletes could compete at the Winter Paralympics as neutral athletes" (BBC, 9/6). REUTERS' Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber reported the IPC on Wednesday authorized "Russian athletes in four disciplines to compete as neutrals in qualifying events" for the PyeongChang Games. IPC President Philip Craven said that the decision to allow some Russian athletes to compete as neutrals was designed to "prevent a situation where they might be left with too few events to qualify for the 2018 Paralympics if Russia's suspension was lifted beforehand." Craven added that Russian athletes who meet the IPC's requirements, including compliance with its anti-doping standards, would be allowed to compete as neutrals in Alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and snowboard qualifying events. He said that government officials and representatives of the Russian Paralympic Committee's governing board "would not be allowed to attend any of the qualifying competitions" (REUTERS, 9/6).
