IPC urged not to 'violate hundreds of clean para-athletes rights'

The All-Russian Society of Disabled People, the All-Russian Society of the Deaf and the European Blind Union has urged the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) not to violate the rights of the country's para-athletes by banning them from the 2016 Rio Games.

The paralympics is scheduled to be held in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro from September 7-18, reports Sputnik.

The All-Russian Society of Disabled People's head Mikhail Terentyev and the All-Russian Society of the Deaf's president Valeriy Ruhledev addressed IPC President Philip Craven in a joint letter on Tuesday, asking for a review of the ban decision affecting the fate of hundreds of clean para-athletes rights.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing on Russia's appeal against the IPC suspension is due to be heard on August 21.

"The balanced and fair riskless decision - to violate the rights of hundreds of clean paralympic athletes - can't be made until the end of investigation. Clean paralympic athletes shall not be responsible for the circumstances caused by a belated and uncompleted investigation - we shall not allow hundreds of athlete's rights to be violated because of someone's errors," the letter says.

The letter called on the IOC president to take a landmark decision and avoid damaging the paralympic movement in Russia and disrupting the paralympics.

The IPC suspended Russia's membership in early August citing the country's alleged failure to comply with the organisation's anti-doping rules.

Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) President Vladimir Lukin said in August that the body has "irrefutable evidence" of compliance with the global anti-doping responsibilities.

--IANS

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