Russia lose ban appeal to participate in Rio Paralympics

Russian competitors remained banned from next month's Rio Paralympics after the country lost an appeal today against a suspension issued over a vast, state-run doping programme

Geneva: Russian competitors remained banned from next month's Rio Paralympics after the country lost an appeal today against a suspension issued over a vast, state-run doping programme.

Vitaly Mutko

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the appeal filed by the Russian Paralympic Committee, which sought to overturn the August 7 ban by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The IPC took the tough action after the release of a bombshell report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), detailing drug-cheating directed by government officials and affecting dozens of sports.

The Lausanne-based CAS said Russia in its appeal "did not file any evidence contradicting the facts on which the IPC decision was based."

In a statement, the court 'confirmed' Russia's ban from the Rio Paralympics, which run from September 7 to 18. Russian officials had voiced confidence of a victory at CAS and immediately took issue with Tuesday's ruling.

Sports minister Vitaly Mutko, a central figure in the McLaren report, blasted the CAS decision as "more political than legal."

The Paralympics ban was the latest blow to Russian sport, which has been condemned by a mountain of doping allegations in recent months.

The country narrowly escaped an outright International Olympic Committee ban from the just-concluded Rio Games.

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