Russian and Belarusian athletes have now been banned from the Winter Paralympic Games because of the Ukraine invasion – a reversal of a decision just a day before.

The International Paralympic Committee made the announcement on Thursday in Beijing.

On Wednesday the committee announced it would allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the Games, which open on Friday, but only as neutral athletes with colours, flags and other national symbols removed.

The decision drew immediate criticism.

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nadine Dorries, had said the IPC had made the “wrong decision” and called on them to “urgently reconsider” – while the British Paralympic Association said it was “disappointed”.

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The British Paralympic Association had said: “We are disappointed by the International Paralympic Committee’s decision today.

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“We, like many participating Paralympic nations, already stated that given the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine we cannot see how the participation of Russia or Belarus in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games is compatible with the objectives of the Paralympic movement.

“We’ll be consulting further and reflecting on the implications for ParalympicsGB before making further comment.”

The full Ukrainian team – made up of 20 athletes and nine guides – have travelled to China to compete in the Games, which officially open on Friday, following some initial uncertainty about their participation.

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended that sports federations suspend teams and athletes from the two countries – but added they could compete as neutrals if time or legal constraints prevented their removal.

“They will compete under the Paralympic flag and not be included in the medal table,” the IPC said in a statement.

“In deciding what action to take, the board was guided by the IPC’s core principles, which include a commitment to political neutrality and impartiality, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of sport.

“These are key components of the new IPC Constitution that was approved at the 2021 IPC General Assembly held just over three months ago.”

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