Sports Court Confirms Russia Ban From Rio Paralympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Court of Arbitration for Sport has confirmed Russia's ban from the Paralympic Games as punishment for a state-backed doping program.

CAS announced its urgent verdict Tuesday to dismiss the Russian Paralympic Committee's appeal against exclusion from the Sept. 7-18 games in Rio de Janeiro. A hearing was held in Rio on Monday.

The court said its judges ruled that the International Paralympic Committee "did not violate any procedural rule" in banning the Russian team two weeks ago.

Also, the panel says the Russian appeal "did not file any evidence contradicting the facts on which the IPC decision was based."