STORY: Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals at next year’s Paris Paralympics.That's after the International Paralympic Committee, the IPC, voted against maintaining a full ban of the two countries, imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.Competing under the neutral banner means going without a national team or emblems, flags and anthems.The move was criticized by a Ukrainian official on social media, who said the decision would only embolden Russia.The international athletes-led Global Athlete movement also expressed disappointment. It had wanted the IPC ban on Russia to continue in Paris.The International Olympic Committee, the IOC, will make its decision on whether Russia and Belarus will be allowed to compete in Paris in about two weeks.The IOC has not sanctioned the Russian or Belarus Olympic Committee or Russian members of the IOC, but did ban athletes following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation. In March the IOC issued a set of recommendations for international sports federations to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return.The IOC has said athletes should not be punished for the actions of governments.