TT federation upset at banning of Russia from Rio Paralympics

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is disappointed by the unilateral decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to ban Russia from competing in the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games.

IPC announced disqualification of the Russian Paralympic Committee on Sunday and banned Russian para athletes from participating in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro following the report by the Independent Commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), reports Tass.

The Paralympic Games begins in Rio from September 7 and stretches till 18.

"ITTF supports fighting against doping at all stages of the process," its press service said on Monday.

"However, we are disappointed, as many other federations, that the International Paralympic Committee made a decision on Russian para athletes without consultations and unilaterally. Nine Russian para athletes were selected for the Paralympic Games."

"We have not yet received a response to our inquiry to IPC on whether representatives of table tennis are mentioned in the McLaren report. ITTF will carry out a comprehensive investigation," the press service added.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said earlier that banning Russian para athletes from competing at the Rio Olympics will be appealed in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

--IANS

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