Double Olympic medallist Mykhailo Romanchuk has posted a call by several Ukrainian athletes including 50m butterfly world record-holder Andriy Gorovov for Russia and Belarus to be suspended from international competition.
Romanchuk is not among the athletes who filmed themselves addressing IOC president Thomas Bach and Andrew Parsons, his equivalent at the International Paralympic Committee.
However, the fact the 25-year-old has posted the film to social media is evidence he backs the call to throw Russia out of competition following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Paralympics run from 4-13 March with the IPC set to discuss Russia’s involvement in the competition in Beijing.
During the film, athletes said:
“WE UKRAINIAN ATHLETES ASK to suspend immediately the Russian and Belarusian National Olympic Committees and Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from the participation in the XIII Paralympic Winter Games Beijing-2022.
“WE ARE STANDING FOR RESPECT OF THE TRUE OLYMPIC VALUES!
“WE ARE STANDING FOR A GOODWILL!
“WE ARE STANDING FOR PEACE!!!”