1ST LEAD Russian Paralympics body stays suspended, Games decision in January By Barry Whelan, dpa

Berlin (dpa) - The Russian Paralympic Committee remains suspended over doping and will hear in late January whether it can compete at the 2018 Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang.Russian athletes can continue to compete as neutrals in qualification events in four winter sports - alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and snowboard - the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said Wednesday.The measure will allow the Russian committee RPC to enter its qualified athletes for the March 9-18 Paralympic Winter Games if its suspension is lifted in time, the IPC said following a governing board meeting on Tuesday.Russia was barred by the IPC from the 2016 Rio Paralympics following an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) investigation led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren into alleged state-sponsored doping in Russian elite sport.The decision was in contrast to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which decided against banning all Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics, leaving the decision to individual international federations.The IOC has now suspended the Russian Olympic Committee from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, which open on February 9, but Russia athletes will be allowed to compete as neutrals provided they meet certain guidelines on doping.The IPC, which suspended the RPC in August 2016, said its task force has listed five criteria which need to be met before it recommends any lifting of the suspension.These include full reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) by WADA, and "provision of an official response specifically and adequately addressing the findings made by Professor McLaren."IPC president Andrew Parsons said the IPC governing board "continues to be impressed at the level of co-operation and progress made so far by the RPC" but that the reinstatement criteria have not yet been met in full."The RPC is making headway with the IPC on three of the five remaining reinstatement criteria, however sadly, and much to our growing disappointment and frustration, there is a lack of progress regarding an official response from the Russian authorities specifically and adequately addressing the McLaren findings and evidence," he said.