Paralympics say Russian, Belarusian athletes can compete without their flags

March 2 (UPI) -- International Paralympic Committee announced Wednesday that Russian and Belarus athletes will participate as neutrals and will not be placed on the medal stand for ceremonies.

The decision was made after intense pressure from various countries to expel the athletes because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine with the help of Belarus.

"[Russia and Belarus] will compete under the Paralympic flag and not be included in the medal table," the committee said in a statement.

The committee said it will also vote on whether to suspend or terminate the membership of the Russian Paralympic Committee and Belarus Paralympic Committee.

"[The] IPC will not hold any events in Russia or Belarus until further notice."

Britain's Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nadine Dorries, said the IPC erred in allowing the athletes to compete.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the IPC," Dorries said on Twitter. "This is the wrong decision and I call on them to urgently reconsider. They must join the rest of the world in condemning this barbaric invasion by banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing."

"We will consider a full range of options in protest of this decision, in consultation with UK Sport and the British Paralympics Association. I will be meeting with my international counterparts this week to discuss how we can respond collectively."

IPC President Andrew Parsons said the committee felt it went as far it could go with its punishment of Russia and Belarus.

"What we have decided upon is the harshest possible punishment we can hand down within our constitution and the current IPC rules," Parsons, according to Sky News.