A Team GB Paralympian has alleged members of the banned Russian team have been taunting Ukrainian athletes over their country being invaded.
On Thursday morning, International Paralympic Committee [IPC] President Andrew Parsons announced that organisers of the Winter Games had performed a major u-turn on its stance on Russian and Belarusian entrants.
Having initially ruled both countries could send competitors to compete as neutrals in Beijing, Parsons responded to widespread condemnation of that call by confirming both nations would now be subject to a blanket ban.
Following the announcement Richard Whitehead, a gold medallist at the summer Paralympics in both London [2012] and Rio [2016], appeared on Good Morning Britain to make a harrowing claim about the behaviour of the banned athletes.
He told presenters Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard: "I've heard lots of messages of indoctrination within the Russian community and messages that the Russian athletes are sending Ukraine athletes about bombing their homes.
"And I feel that to take the Russians and Belarus athletes straight out of the village and send them home is the right decision."
When asked by Reid to elaborate on the allegations about the messages Whitehead, who has prosthetic legs and won medals in 100, 200, and 400 metre races, replied: "Yes, that's right. I've seen those and they said - bombing the families back at home. It's terrible. Like, it's disgusting behaviour.
"And it just shows that the Russian and Belarus athletes don't actually think there's there's a war going on at home and and how that affects not just the athletes, but also the Ukrainian community.
"We need to galvanise as athletes and promote that. Look, this war needs to stop, and sport is only just a small part of what we do."
The 45-year-old also criticised the IPC for their belated decision, having initially argued that they had imposed the strongest possible measures by ordering the countries to compete as neutrals, without being included in the medal table.
"I'm sorry we're having to talk in these terrifying times," he continued.
"And the IPC initially should shirk their responsibility by placing the decision more towards the national governing bodies and individuals where this decision should have been made for the athletes, for the movement and as a Paralympic athlete, as disabled people."
The Winter Paralympics get underway this Friday, March 4.
