Russian Para athletes will still be banned from next month’s Winter Games in Pyeongchang, the International Paralympic Committee has announced.

Russia was suspended from all Paralympic competition by the IPC in 2016 following revelations of systematic drug abuse.

However, the IPC will allow Russian Para athletes, who meet strict conditions, to compete in five sports as neutrals at the Games which get under way in March.

According to the IPC Taskforce, the Russian Paralympic Committee failed to meet two of five criteria required for the ban to be lifted; the full reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and acknowledgement of the McLaren report.

The report, which was published in July 2016, claimed Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme across both the summer and winter Olympic Games.

“In the summer of 2016 the anti-doping system in Russia was found to be totally compromised, corrupted and open to abuse,” IPC President Andrew Parsons said.

“This made it impossible to determine which Russian Para athletes were clean and which were not; it was clear that Russia’s participation in Para sport events would severely question the integrity and credibility of sporting competition.

“At the time we took measures that were necessary and proportionate to the situation we faced, and that were essential to ensure clean sport. We took the correct decision for the Paralympic Movement and Para athletes.

“Seventeen months on, we face a different picture in Russia and it is important that once again our decision is necessary and proportionate to what is in front of us.

“Although the RPC remains suspended they have made significant progress and we have to recognise this. Russian Para athletes are now regularly tested and are amongst the most scrutinised Para athletes in the world.”

The IPC says Russia has implemented tough testing of its Para athletes, launched a new anti-doping programme and introduced a whistle-blower hotline.

Clean Russian Para athletes will be allowed to compete in alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, snowboard and wheelchair curling as neutrals in Pyeongchang. The IPC says it expects 30 to 35 neutral athletes to take part.

Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme, according to the McLaren report
The McLaren report claimed Russia operated a state-sponsored doping programme across four years (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The British Paralympic Association has backed the IPC’s stance.

A statement read: “We support the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow clean Russian athletes to compete as neutrals at Pyeongchang 2018.

“The IPC took a bold decision to ban the Russian Paralympic Committee altogether from Rio 2016 and we recognise the progress they have made since to work towards achieving the reinstatement criteria.

“However, we  agree with the IPC’s assertion that further advances are still needed to ensure the Russian Paralympic Committee fully comply with both the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code.

“In making this decision therefore, the IPC has done everything within its power to give clean Russian athletes the opportunity to qualify for Pyeongchang 2018.”