Rio 2016 Paralympics: Vladimir Putin says Russia ban is 'immoral' and 'inhumane'

Russia finished fourth in the medal table at the Rio Olympics with 56, including 19 gold

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the country's Paralympics ban is "outside the bounds of law, morality and humanity".

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) suspended Russia from the Rio Games starting on 7 September because of state-sponsored doping.

Putin said the ruling was "cynical" and "humiliates those who take such decisions".

Only Russian track and field athletes were banned from the Olympics.

Putin, speaking at an award ceremony for Russian Olympians at the Kremlin, said the country would hold special competitions for banned Paralympic athletes, with the winners awarded the same prizes as in Rio.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russian Paralympians had taken "collective responsibility for an unproven crime".