Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to participate at the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing. The International Paralympic Committee had been initially criticised after they had said that the athletes can compete as neutrals. The Winter Paralympic Games begin on Saturday with the opening ceremony on Friday.
However, a statement on Thursday said that the "situation in the athlete villages" had become "untenable".
IPC president Andrew Parsons described the athletes affected as "victims of your governments' actions".
"We are very firm believers that sport and politics should not mix," Parsons said.
"However, by no fault of its own the war has now come to these Games and behind the scenes many governments are having an influence on our cherished event. Ensuring the safety and security of athletes is of paramount importance to us and the situation in the athlete villages is escalating and has now become untenable."
There were set to be 71 competitors from Russia and 12 from Belarus in Beijing.
Parsons said that a lot of members had spoken to the IPC, saying that they would not compete in the Games if the athletes from Russia and Belarus were part of the event.
Parson said it was unlikely that a viable Games could be carried out with Russian and Belarusian athletes part of it.
"To the Para-athletes from the impacted countries, we are very sorry that you are affected by the decisions your governments took last week in breaching the Olympic Truce," he added.
"I hope and pray that we can get back to a situation when the talk and focus is fully on the power of sport to transform the lives of persons with disabilities, and the best of humanity."
The Ukrainian Paralympic team is already in Beijing and will be able to compete in the Games, with opening ceremony set to promote "a message of peace".
(With BBC Inputs)
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