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

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.

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 …