nders over the line for his first NRL try.Th | Forum

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked the ban on his country from the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics as immoral and inhumane on Thursday, while six Russian athletes launched a bid to compete at next months games as individuals. Nickeil Alexander-Walker Pelicans Jersey .Russia was suspended on Aug. 7 over what International Paralympic Committee president Philip Craven called a medals over morals culture with evidence of state-sponsored doping. The ban was confirmed Tuesday when the Court of Arbitration of Sport rejected a Russian appeal.The decision to disqualify our Paralympians is outside the bounds of law, morality and humanity, Putin said at an award ceremony for Olympic athletes at the Kremlin. He called the ruling against Russia cynical and claimed that it even humiliates those who take such decisions.Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added to the criticism, calling the ban collective responsibility for an unproven crime. While Russia has accepted there were some shortcomings in its anti-doping system, it insists drug use was not systemic or supported by the government.The Paralympics start Sept. 7. On Thursday, six Russian athletes, including three gold medalists, wrote to IPC president Craven asking for a route into the games as individuals.I strongly believe that real perpetrators of the dirty system must be punished and banned from sport. I do not want to lose to cheaters and I dont want to compete with cheaters, even Russians, says the letter, which was provided to The Associated Press by Andrei Mitkov, an agent representing the six. However even more strongly I believe that innocent people should not suffer for actions of cheaters that tried to deceive clean athletes of the world.The athletes, who say they have been repeatedly tested outside Russia and found to be clean, asked for the IPC to provide criteria which could allow some Russians to compete if they can show they are clean. The approach is similar to the criteria that allowed U.S.-based Russian long jumper Darya Klishina to compete at the Rio Olympics when the rest of the Russian team was banned.I would be very grateful if you review my individual request for entry to the Paralympic Games in such exceptional circumstances or, alternatively, describe me conditions upon which my participation in Rio Games would be possible, the letter states. In the event of a refusal, the athletes say they may request a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport.On Thursday, Putin said special competitions will be organized in Russia for banned Paralympic athletes with winners getting the same prizes they would have had from success in Rio. Russia awards cash prizes to Olympic and Paralympic medalists and gave out dozens of BMW luxury cars to its Olympic medalists Thursday.Putin also attacked what he said was political manipulation of sport directed against Russia, whose team was reduced to a single athlete in track and field and banned entirely from weightlifting at the Olympics. That came after World Anti-Doping Agency investigations detailed widespread doping and evidence that senior sports ministry officials allegedly covered up hundreds of doping cases.You came through a tough test with honor, Putin told a room full of Olympic gold medalists. We know how difficult it was for our athletes in Rio. Ahead of the competition, the team was cut by almost a third, and was deprived of the chance to show what it can do in sports where Russia is traditionally considered one of the favorites. But our team, you, my friends, coped with all the difficulties, competed as a united team.Russia was fourth in the medal count with 56 medals, 19 of them gold.Earlier, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko appeared to cast doubt on the achievements of second-placed Britain, suggesting it had won medals in Rio thanks to its lobbying power.Look at the comparative growth in results of some countries, such as Britain. I dont want to accuse them of anything, he said in comments reported by the state R-Sport agency. And look at the leadership of all the sports institutions. There are only British and Canadians there.Britain won 67 medals in Rio, with 27 golds, in its best performance for more than a century. Zylan Cheatham Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Jordan Crawford Pelicans Jersey . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. https:///...City-Edition-Jersey/ . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Penrith coach Anthony Griffin was in no mood to celebrate after the Panthers cemented a NRL finals berth, with key forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard taken to hospital with a suspected back fracture.He was also unhappy about Penriths dumb first-half performance on Saturday night, which allowed Gold Coast back into the contest.Matt Moylans field goal two minutes from fulltime sealed the 15-14 victory, but Griffins thoughts were centred on the Panthers allowing the Titans to recover from 14-0 at halftime.The game at Cbus Super Stadium seemed to be heading into golden point after Tyrone Roberts kicked a penalty goal four minutes from time following a high tackle from Penriths Chris Grevsmuhl on Ryan James.It was terrible the way we let them back into the game, Griffin said.It was a very dumb half of football.Its nice to know that were definitely there (in top eight), but its going to have to be a lot better than that if were going to do something with the (finals) spot.One man Griffin praised was Tyrone Peachey, who made the crucial line break, bringing the ball to within 20m of the tryline and allowing Panthers skipper Moylan to coolly split the uprights to snatch the game.But the Panthers have a nervous wait for news on Campbell-Gillard, whose season is likely over after being injured in a tackle.But Penrith general manager Phil Gould later tweeted although the key forward was in pain, there was no suggestion of nerve or spinal damage.Still to have full X-ray however Doctorr confident no long term issues. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys. Painful now but expect full recovery in time, he posted.The pre-game focus was on Jarryd Haynes first match at fullback for two years, but he was outshone by his opposite number, Moylan, who scored the Panthers first try.In the eighth minute, Moylan received the ball and cut inside off his right foot, racing past Titans defenders and touching down.The lead was doubled in the 17th minute when, after Bryce Cartwright broke the line and was tackled by Hayne 10m out, the Panthers quickly spread it wide and Waqa Blake dived over.Hayne had a chance to score the first try of his NRL return just before the break when he burst towards the line after an offload from Leivahu Pulu, but the Panthers No.1 stopped him.Just after halftime, the Titans were back in it when Pulu was fed by Greg Bird 5m out and he carried three defenders over the line for his first NRL try.Then Bird set up a dramatic finish when he stretched out over the line, in spite of the efforts of Moylan and Peter Wallace, to make it a two-point game.The Titans need to beat North Queensland in Townsville next week or hope other results go their way.Coach Neil Henry will keep an eye on Sundays Warriors-Wests Tigers clash, but backs his team to get a result next Saturday against the Cowboys.Its not over. The destinys in our own hands, Henry said. ' ' '