Russia has been a power in the Paralympics, winning 80 medals — nearly 40 percent of the total — at the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The decision of the International Paralympic Committee went beyond the sanctions imposed by the International Olympic Committee, which had considered but rejected a blanket ban on Russian athletes. “It is not a day for celebration, and we have enormous sympathy for the Russian athletes who will now miss out,” he said in a statement. The number of Russian athletes at the Olympic Games here, which concluded Sunday, was affected by the findings of the recent investigation. In voting to bar all Russian athletes, Paralympic officials, who typically act in accordance with Olympic officials, had taken a bolder decision, which Russia promptly challenged in court.

Source: International New York Times August 23, 2016 13:11 UTC