Latin American country accused of unusual type of cheating at Paralympics

It is fairly commonplace in the world of sport for athletes to dope with the intention of improving their performance. But Ecuador's Paralympics team has been accused of a very unusual kind of cheating.

According to the Daily Mirror, citing local media, the Observatory for Monitoring Compliance with Public Policy in Ecuadorian Sport (ODDE) has accused the Ecuadorian Paralympic Committee of allowing athletes without disabilities to compete.

It is alleged that thanks to, as the ODDE report reads, a ‘corrupt scheme’ one perfectly healthy athlete won gold in the long jump at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto.

These rumours were also confirmed on local television by an Ecuadorian coach of Paralympians who, while maintaining anonymity, stated that ‘those selected for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris do not have any intellectual disabilities.’

Ecuador's Paralympic Committee denies all allegations, emphasising that all athletes undergo a rigorous selection process that the Latin American country itself has no control over.

Ecuador is represented at the Paris Paralympics by 14 athletes who have won only one medal so far: in the shot put F20.