An International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Board meeting tomorrow is set to decide the fate of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) and Belarus at the Winter Paralympics, which are due to open on Friday (March 4).

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday called on athletes from Russia and Belarus to be banned from International Federations' competitions.

However, it referenced the Winter Paralympics when calling for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals with no national symbols where they cannot be expelled "on short notice for organisational or legal reasons."

Both bodies are coming under pressure to go further in their imposition of sporting sanctions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Canada has placed third at the last three editions of the Winter Paralympics, and its National Paralympic Committee (NPC) has urged the IPC to take the strongest measures possible in response to Russia's attack.

"We believe that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be allowed to compete at international sporting events, including the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing," the CPC affirmed.

"The decision of country participation at the Paralympic Games is a matter for the IPC.

"We understand that due to legal constraints, the IPC is unable to expel Russia and Belarus from the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games, and so we urge the IPC to impose the strongest sanctions that are available.

"We also ask that a special assembly of the IPC members be organised as soon as possible to consider revoking the memberships of Russia and Belarus from the International Paralympic Committee."

Russian athletes were already due to compete under the RPC banner at Beijing 2022 because of sanctions imposed on the country for the "cover-up of the cover-up" of the manipulation of data at the Moscow Laboratory.

The World Players Association, which claims to bring together "85,000 players across professional sport through more than 100 player associations", has also become the latest athletes' group to call for the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and RPC.

It accused the global sports community of having "for too long enabled the Russian state’s 'sportswashing'", and insisted it must take "the strongest possible action".

This includes suspending the ROC and RPC immediately and excluding Russian national teams and events from international events "until this war of aggression ends".

The World Players Association urged all remaining events to be moved from Russia, and for "Russian nationals who have been targeted for sanctions, or those with close links to them," to be stripped of leadership positions with International Federations.

Governing bodies should also terminate agreements with individuals and companies linked to Russia's leadership, the World Players Association insisted.

The World Players Association's stance follows a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach and his IPC counterpart Andrew Parsons published by Global Athlete on Sunday (February 27), which called for the suspension of Russian and Belarusian organisations.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed since the beginning of Russia's military offensive on Thursday (February 24), while it is estimated by the United Nations’ Refugee Agency that more than 520,000 people have fled Ukraine.

The Opening Ceremony of the Winter Paralympics is only three days away, with the multi-sport event due to run until March 13.