Because the IPC thought Russia had a doping program run by the government, Russian people were stopped from going to the Games with the Russian flag at the 2018 Games. Some Russian people competed as "Neutral Paralympic Athletes" if the IPC thought they were had not done doping. Because of this, Russians were allowed to compete in 5 sports: para-alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, snowboarding and wheelchair curling. Russians were allowed to compete because the IPC thought their National Paralympic Committee had met some of the conditions the IPC had demanded of them. More improvements were still needed though before they could compete at the Paralympics as Russia. Russia's Paralympians currently face more difficult conditions than those of Russia's Olympians. The Government of Russia has said the allegations about doping are not true. They blame the United States, saying it is a conspiracy to make sure they cannot compete. Vladmir Putin said the United States was doing this to try to prevent him from winning the election for President of Russia.