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Russia’s neutral athletes invited to attend 2024 Paralympics closing ceremony — RPC chief

"Not everyone will be in attendance at the closing ceremony, because on the following day our athletes are scheduled to take a lengthy flight to Russia with a stop in [Turkey’s] Istanbul," Pavel Rozhkov said

MOSCOW, September 6. /TASS/. The Organizing Committee of the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games has invited Russian and Belarusian delegations to attend the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Paris later this week, Pavel Rozhkov, the president of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC), told TASS on Friday.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) cleared 88 Paralympians from Russia to take part in the 2024 Paris Summer Paralympic Games. They were initially 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.

"The Paris 2024 Organizing Committee has extended invitations to Russian and Belarusian athletes, coaches and teams’ staff to attend the closing ceremony of the [2024 Summer] Paralympic Games," Rozhkov stated.

"All of them will be able to take part in the ceremony based on general rules and they will be provided with a transfer [transportation] and will have their own seats in spectators’ stands," the RPC chief continued.

"Not everyone will be in attendance at the closing ceremony, because on the following day our athletes are scheduled to take a lengthy flight to Russia with a stop in [Turkey’s] Istanbul," Rozhkov said. "But all those, who want [to stay] will be able to see the [2024 Paralympics closing] ceremony."

The 2024 Summer Paralympic Games run in the French capital of Paris between August 28 and September 8. Russian Paralympians, who participate in the 2024 Games under a neutral status, already coined 16 gold, 18 silver and 20 bronze medals.

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.

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