The Paralympics leadership is in dispute with the UK government over Russia's reinstatement to the Games, telling Sky News they will not ban countries from competing for launching wars.

The UK was among 33 mainly European countries to sign a joint statement expressing "serious concern" that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) members voted to lift the partial suspensions of Russia and Ukraine war ally Belarus.

The decision has never been previously explained, but IPC president Andrew Parsons now tells us it "is not linked to participation in wars".

Image: IPC president Andrew Parsons. Pic: Reuters

"Russia and Belarus, they used Paralympic sport to promote what they called the "special operation" at the time," he said in an interview.

"And this is what led to the first s

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