PyeongChang welcomes IPC's decision on Russian para athletes

SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- PyeongChang 2018 organizers said Monday they welcome the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow some Russian para athletes to compete as neutrals at the upcoming Paralympic Games. "We accept and respect the decision of the IPC regarding the ruling that Russian athletes may compete under a neutral flag," the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Games (POCOG) said in a statement. "We will welcome all athletes that are eligible to compete and meet the criteria set out by the IPC." The IPC said it maintains the suspension of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) for its doping scandal, but it will allow eligible Russians to compete at the PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games, which take place between March 9 and 18. The IPC said qualified Russians will participate under the name "Neutral Paralympic Athlete" (NPA) in five sports -- alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, snowboard and wheelchair. It added that those who take part in the PyeongChang Paralymic Games will do so in "an NPA uniform that has no national identification that relates to Russia." There will be also no Russian flag permitted at any venue during the Paralympics. The latest IPC ruling is similar to the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last month. The IOC previously banned Russia from the PyeongChang Winter Olympics for state-sponsored doping and said it would only allow clean athletes to compete as neutrals, each formally referred to as an "Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR)." "The announcements by both the IOC and IPC herald a new age for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and sport in the wider context," POCOG said. "PyeongChang 2018 will symbolize the start of clean sport and fair competition for all moving forward. We are very proud to be part of the change." kdon@yna.co.kr (END)