Paralympics: Now Russia banned from 2018 Winter GamesKAZBEK BASAYEV Russian Paralympic torchbearer Aleksey Ashapatov attends a training session at Yunost sports ground in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia. The country has since been barred from taking part in the 2016 Paralympics. Russia, already suspended from next month's Rio Paralympics, have also been banned for the winter edition in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018 because of a state-sponsored sports doping programme. The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) announced the latest punishment handed out by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Monday (Tuesday NZ time). READ MORE:* NZ calls for Russia Olympic ban* State-sanctioned doping revealed in RussiaThe decision to exclude Russia's team means at least 260 competitors from the country are now set to miss the September 7-18 Paralympics.

Source: Stuff August 30, 2016 07:07 UTC