IPC President Sir Philip Craven has reiterated how reinstatement criteria must be met before Russia's Paralympic ban is lifted ©Getty Images

"Making a stand for clean sport" has been hailed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in third place in an online list of their "Top 50 moments of 2016".

It comes as a process continues to reintegrate Russia into the Paralympic community once it has met a series of reinstatement criteria imposed by the world governing body last month.

The world's largest country was suspended from September's Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro by the IPC due to claims made in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-commissioned McLaren Report about the manipulation of doping samples by home athletes at events including the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Russian athletes remain ineligible to compete in all sports in which the IPC are also the world governing body.

This includes five of the six sports on the Pyeongchang 2018 winter programme - Alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, snowboard and ice sledge hockey - as well as athletics, powerlifting, shooting and swimming.

“The aim of the reinstatement criteria and the IPC Task Force is to assist the Russian Paralympic Committee as much as we can in bringing about the significant practical and cultural changes that are required in order for it to fulfil its IPC membership obligations in full," said IPC President Sir Philip Craven when outlining the reinstatement criteria.

“Although there is no timeline for the RPC to implement the changes required, we want to work closely with them in order to bring about the necessary changes sooner, rather than later.

"We will immediately lift its suspension once we are confident that all reinstatement criteria and verification criteria have been, and will continue to be, met in full.”

Wheelchair curling is currently the only Winter Paralympic sport in which Russia are eligible to compete ©Getty Images
Wheelchair curling is currently the only Winter Paralympic sport in which Russia are eligible to compete ©Getty Images

Despite a huge backlash in Russia, as well as from several International Federations also on the Olympic programme, the IPC have once again defended their strong stance.

"The decision, which came just one month ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympics, made global headlines and underlined the IPC’s commitment to clean sport for all involved in the Paralympic Movement," they said in an article accompanying the list.

"This is why it has secured No. 3 position in the International Paralympic Committee’s Top 50 Moments of 2016."

Almost all other entrees on the Top 50 list related to sporting performances in the Brazilian city.

Number two concerned "More medals for more countries" after a record 83 nations enjoyed at least one podium finish.

Number one on the list is due to be announced tomorrow.