Paralympics 2024 cheating row as athlete stripped of medal after investigation found he was using banned device

THE PARALYMPICS have been hit by a cheating scandal after an athlete was stripped of his medal in Paris.

Italian rower Giacomo Perini was stripped of his bronze medal following an investigation that deemed he had used a banned device.

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The 28-year-old was disqualified after officials found he had been using a communication device, such as a walky-talky or phone, during the PR1 Men’s Single Sculls event.

A statement from World Rowing said: “In the final of the PR1 M1x, the ITA PR1 MRX was found to be using communications equipment during the race, in breach of Rule 28 and Appendix R2, Bye-Law to Rule 28.

“As a result, the crew has been excluded from the event and will be ranked last.”

The original result had seen Paralympics GB’s Benjamin Pritchard claim gold with a time of 9:03.84.

Silver had gone to Ukraine ‘s Roman Polianskyi more than ten seconds back, before Perini had claimed the final medal.

However, the ban saw Australia ‘s Erik Horrie inherit the bronze medal after he came fourth.

Speaking to Nine, Horrie said: “There was a situation that happened.

“World Rowing and Paralympics officials saw it and then made the decision [to disqualify Perini] and I was lucky enough to come away with the bronze.

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“That’s all I can say really. It’s the joys of sport. There are rules, and as athletes, we stick to them.

“I’m just excited about getting the bronze. I’m at my fourth Games and I can say that I’ve medalled at every single Paralympics that I’ve been to.”

Horrie won silver at the London, Rio and Tokyo games.

All of the events taking place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics

Each sport is broken down into subcategories giving athletes the chance to compete on equal terms with those who have a similar impairment.

Here are the events:

• Para archery
• Para athletics
• Para badminton
• Blind football
• Boccia
• Para canoe
• Para cycling
• Para equestrian
• Goalball
• Para judo
• Para powerlifting
• Para rowing
• Shooting Para sport
• Sitting volleyball
• Para swimming
• Para table tennis
• Para taekwondo
• Para triathlon
• Wheelchair basketball
• Wheelchair fencing
• Wheelchair rugby
• Wheelchair tennis