MINSK, November 28 – RIA Novosti. The Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic Irina Kostevich said that the imposition of sanctions on Paralympic athletes limits the right of disabled Belarusians to engage in sports, which is guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

A statement of support for the Belarusian Paralympic athletes was published on the official website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Belarus on Monday.

He reminded that by ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2016, Belarus, as a state party, assumed the obligations of complying with the provisions of the convention and creating equal conditions for the disabled with everyone. The Minister said that the decision of the International Paralympic Committee on November 16 to suspend Belarus’s membership in the organization is a violation of the Convention and all the fundamental principles of the Olympic movement.

“Today, Belarusian athletes with disabilities are unfairly excluded from participation in international competitions. Sport should have no boundaries. It should remain a symbol of accessibility, objectivity and impartiality,” Kostevich said.