IPC publish Neutral Paralympic Athletes regulations for the Paris 2024 Paralympics

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board has published strict eligibility criteria that Russian and Belarusian athletes and support personnel must meet and adhere to in order to participate as neutrals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The regulations follow a decision by IPC member organisations at the September 2023 IPC General Assembly to partially suspend the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) of Russia and Belarus for a period of two years.

Subject to full compliance with the regulations, NPC Russia and NPC Belarus will be permitted to enter their licensed, eligible, and qualified athletes (and support personnel) into the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in an individual capacity only, meaning no teams.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games these individuals will be referred to as Neutral Paralympic Athletes (NPA) and will compete in uniforms approved by the IPC that must not feature any national colours, flag, country name or national emblem, symbol or designation.

Neutral athletes will compete under a white flag featuring black lettering spelling out NPA. The flag’s use will be limited to TV and sports presentation graphics and during medal ceremonies.

Medal wins will not be recorded on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games medals table and should a neutral athlete win a gold medal, the Paralympic anthem will be played.

The national flags of Russia and Belarus, as well as other national symbols including those which relate to the military are strictly prohibited in the vicinity of any venue associated with the Paralympic Games. The national anthems of Russia and Belarus will not be played.

As the athletes will participate in an individual and neutral capacity, they will not march in the Opening Ceremony on 28 August or have a flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony on 8 September.

Between now and the Paralympic Games, the IPC will appoint an independent external body to assess the eligibility of athletes and support personnel. Athletes and support personnel who have actively supported the war in Ukraine will not be eligible to be entered into the Paralympic Games, neither will those who are contracted to the Russian/Belarusian military or national security agencies.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Neutral Athlete and Support Personnel Regulations can be found here at Paris 2024 Qualification and Regulations.