The Worldwide Paralympic Committee has allotted 10 mixed slots to Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Printed On 20 Feb 2026
Ukrainian opponents will boycott the Milano Cortina Paralympics opening ceremony on March 6 in Verona, their committee has mentioned, because of the authorisation of some Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate undertheir nationwide flags.
The Worldwide Paralympic Committee (IPC)’s allocation of 10 mixed slots to Russian and Belarusian athletes has created a political storm over the upcoming Video games, given bitterness over the four-year-old invasion of Ukraine.
Advisable Tales
listing of 4 gadgetsfinish of listing
Russia, which has been excluded from a lot worldwide competitors because of the battle, says it’s unsuitable to combine sport and politics, whereas focusing on disabled athletes is offensive.
“The neighborhood of Ukrainian Paralympians and the Nationwide Paralympic Committee of Ukraine are outraged by the cynical choice of the Worldwide Paralympic Committee to grant bipartite slots to russia and belarus (sic),” the Ukrainian committee mentioned in an announcement on Friday, asserting its boycott of the ceremony and demanding that its flag not be used there.
That stance follows the disqualification from the Winter Video games of Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for sporting a helmet commemorating athletes killed within the battle.
Ukraine’s Sports activities Minister Matvii Bidnyi has mentioned Ukrainian officers will boycott the March 6-15 Paralympics, although the nation’s athletes will nonetheless participate.
An IPC spokesperson informed the Reuters information company it was in touch with Ukraine’s Paralympic Committee and the matter can be mentioned internally.
Russia can have two spots in Para alpine snowboarding, two in cross-country snowboarding and two in snowboarding, whereas Belarus was awarded 4 locations, all in cross-country snowboarding.
“We draw consideration to the truth that neither russia nor belarus (sic) went by means of the qualification course of to acquire licences to take part within the Paralympic Video games in Milano-Cortina,” the Ukrainian assertion added, denouncing the “horrific navy aggression on the territory of Ukraine”.
In 2014, Ukraine despatched just one athlete from a 23-person crew to the Sochi Paralympics opening ceremony in protest in opposition to Russia’s seizure of the Crimean Peninsula.
“It’s very offensive from the IPC to let individuals who assist this battle be a part of the Video games and additionally to allow them to carry their flag, as a result of beneath the identical flag they’re killing Ukrainians,” skeleton competitor Heraskevych informed Reuters, saying protests had been needed.
