Russian PM calls ban on Russian Paralympic team "cynical" decision

The decision to ban Russian athletes from the Rio Paralympics over allegations of a doping program in Russia is "cynical," Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.

"Banning our Paralympic athletes from Rio 2016 is a double cynical decision, because we are talking about people who daily overcome themselves. It's a blow for all the invalids, not only Russians," Medvedev said on his Facebook.

He made the comment after the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed earlier on Tuesday an appeal filed by the Russian Paralympic Committee, upholding the Aug. 7 ban on the Russian competition by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) based on a report compiled by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The ban, running from Sept. 7 to 18, affects more than 250 Russian athletes slated to compete in the 2016 Rio Paralympics that will last 11 days.

About 4,300 athletes from over 160 countries and regions took part in the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

(APD)