Paralympians from Ukraine have slammed the International Paralympic Committee's announcement that Russian and Belarusian competitors will still be allowed to take part in the Games this month.
The IPC confirmed its decision in a statement on Wednesday, two days before the Games are set to get underway in Beijing on Friday.
Competitors from those two countries can take part, but must do so under a neutral flag and any medals won will not be counted on the official table.
The decision was part of the IPC's response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russian and Belarusian forces last week, with fighting across the country now in its seventh day.
In a statement released in response to the decision, the Athletes of Ukraine and sporting movement Global Athlete blasted Paralympic bosses for not going far enough.
"As Russian and Belarusian bombs rain down on Ukrainian citizens, the IPC today issued another blow to every Ukrainian athlete and citizen by allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games," the statement began.
"Yesterday, 19-year-old Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev was killed in combat in Ukraine, defending his country against Russia's attack. How many more lives need to be lost before sport implements meaningful sanctions?
"With or without a neutral label, the Russian and Belarusian authorities will use their athletes' participation in these Games as state propaganda.
"During the Games and upon the athletes' return home, these authoritarian regimes will use every ounce of their athletes' success to justify and distract from their brutal war.
"Lives are being lost, families are being torn apart, and tears flow for the Ukrainian nation. The IPC and sport cannot stop the violence, but they could have sent a message that Russian and Belarusian's action warrant the toughest sanctions and complete isolation."
That statement comes after the British Paralympic Association announced its "disappointment" over the decision.
IPC president Andrew Parsons has defended the body's call, however.
He believes that, had the committee blocked Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in Beijing, their decision would have been overturned on appeal in a German court anyway.
"Now that this decision has been made, I expect all participating PCs (Paralympic Committees) to treat the neutral athletes as they would any other athletes at these Games. No matter how difficult this may be," he said.
"Unlike their respective governments, these Paralympic athletes and officials are not aggressors. They are here to compete in a sport event like everybody else."
