Australian Paralympic co-captain Kurt Fearnley has expressed solidarity with one of his Russian rivals who was caught up in the country's doping scandal.
When the veteran wheelchair racer fronts up for his 5000m event on day two of competition, Russian Aleksei Bychenok will be missing from the starting line.
The entire Russian team was barred from the Games as punishment for a state-backed doping program.
"I feel for the bloke, I hope he stays in the sport," said the 35-year-old Fearnley.
"He's a young kid who grew up in Siberia who lost both legs. I have no idea whether or not he's involved in what went down there."
Fearnley, who is competing at his fifth and final Games, plans to reach out to his old foe and encourage him to aim for Tokyo 2020.
He said the International Paralympic Committee was left with no choice but to take sweeping action against Russia.
"A lot of the athletes are going to be victims of a pretty average process and some sinister stuff," he said.
"(But) if we're sitting at home and everyone finds out that ASADA are negotiating special deals, I would expect that I wouldn't be here."
Australia was hit with its own doping scandal when para-cyclist Michael Gallagher was sent packing from Rio days before competition started after he tested positive to a performance enhancing drug.
Eighty-four Russian athletes lost their bid to compete as individuals on Tuesday in a German court ruling, a legal appeal that followed the IPC's ban.
