Paralympian hits out at Beijing Games ban for athletes from Russia and Belarus

ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott reports on Winter Paralympics organisers decision to ban Russian and Belarus athletes from the Games following a threat of a boycott

A Belarusian Paralympic champion says he is against the war in Ukraine and is "at a loss" over the decision to ban him from the Beijing Games.

He, his teammates and those from Russia, were dramatically banned from the Games on Thursday after the International Paralympic Committee reversed their decision to allow them to compete as neutrals.

Skier Yury Holub, who won four medals at the 2018 Winter Games, spoke to ITV News while wearing his accreditation for the event, which starts on Friday. 

As Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from participating in the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games, Belarusian skier Yury Holub told ITV News Sports Producer Daniel Salisbury-Jones through an interpreter about why its the wrong decision

He said: "I’m disappointed and I’m really at a loss because yesterday there was a decision that we are allowed to compete as neutral athletes and actually we were ready to compete and then this decision was changed so we are really at a loss."

The IPC threw out the athletes after a public outcry and threats began to emerge of a potential boycott. 

It’s a blanket ban with no room for even those that bravely speak out against the war, like Holub.

"You know, I’m not very experienced in different political affairs but I would like to say that I am against the war because there is nothing good in the war," he said.

"But I really hoped that … sport is something which unites people and we hoped that perhaps at these Games, the participation of different athletes will make the peace a little bit nearer to us but unfortunately it didn’t happen."

"We hope that we will be understood and supported at home because actually we are ready to compete and participate for the medals and it’s not our fault, so we hope that we will be supported at home."

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