PARIS, September 3. /TASS/. Russia’s Bogdan Mozgovoi won bronze on Tuesday in men’s 100-meter backstroke swimming at the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympics.

The Russian Paralympian clocked the distance in 1 minute 01.93 seconds. Belarusian swimmer Yegor Shchelkanov won the gold with the result of 1 minute 0.76 seconds and Ugo Didier from France took the silver after completing the distance in 1 minute 01.48 seconds.

The 100-meter men’s backstroke swimming was held in line with the Paralympic sports class S9, which is for "swimmers with coordination affected at a low level in the arms and legs, high degree of weakness in one leg, or the absence of limbs."

Mozgovoi, 23, is the two-time Olympic champion having won gold medals in men’s 100-meter backstroke and 4x100-meter medley relay at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Japan. He is also the gold medalist of the 2019 World Championship in London in 4x100-meter medley relay.

The 2024 Summer Paralympic Games run in the French capital of Paris between August 28 and September 8. Russian Paralympians are participating in the 2024 Games under a neutral status

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) cleared 88 Paralympians from Russia to take part in the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games. They were barred from taking part in the Parade of Athletes during the opening and closing ceremonies and also excluded from the 2024 Paralympics overall medal standings.

Russia's route to 2024 Paris Paralympics

On March 6, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) published strict eligibility criteria that Russian and Belarusian athletes and support personnel must meet and adhere to in order to participate as neutrals at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in Paris.

According to the IPC’s requirements "Neutral athletes will compete under a white flag featuring black lettering spelling out NPA [Neutral Paralympic Athletes]." The IPC also ruled that "NPA will compete as individuals in neutral uniforms under an NPA flag, and will not be able to take part in medals ceremonies or march in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies."

On September 29, 2023, the IPC General Assembly ruled at its session in Bahrain to suspend some of the rights the RPC has within the global organization.

However, the IPC General Assembly cleared Russian athletes to participate under a neutral status in international competition, including at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

In mid-March this year, RPC President Pavel Rozhkov told TASS that Russian Paralympians and accompanying staff would don turquoise and beige at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.