Ukraine Boycotts Milan-Cortina Paralympics Opening Ceremony After IPC Allows Russia and Belarus to Compete Under Their Flags

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) awarded 10 bipartite quota places to athletes from Russia and Belarus — six Russians and four Belarusians — and allowed them to compete under their national flags at the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics.

“The International Paralympic Committee has allocated 10 combined slots to Russian and Belarusian athletes”

Al Jazeera

Ukraine announced a boycott of the opening ceremony in Verona on March 6 in response.

Al Jazeera

Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee called the decision “cynical,” demanded that the Ukrainian flag not be used at the ceremony, and said Ukrainian public officials will not attend.

Ukrainian athletes are still expected to compete in events scheduled March 6–15.

The IPC said it had lifted a broader suspension last September and issued the bipartite invitations across para‑alpine, para cross‑country and para‑snowboarding events.

Multiple reports described the allocation and composition of invitations, saying Russia received six places (two each in para‑alpine skiing, para cross‑country and para‑snowboarding) and Belarus four (all in cross‑country).

The IPC said these were bipartite invitations after lifting a suspension in September, a reversal from earlier post‑invasion practice where athletes from the two countries competed only as neutrals at Paris 2024.

AnewZ

The IPC defended the process as an internal decision; Russia criticized calls to keep it excluded, and Ukrainian officials said the athletes did not go through standard qualification procedures.

The decision produced a wave of diplomatic and organisational reactions across Europe.

“Nikita Filippov, from Russia, won a medal in the first ever Olympic men's ski mountaineering event as an Individual Neutral Athlete Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) will be allowed to attend the closing ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, having not been present at the opening event”

BBC

Ukraine and several national Paralympic committees announced boycotts of the Verona opening ceremony.

The Czech committee joined Ukraine's protest.

Countries including Poland, Lithuania and Estonia signalled refusal to attend or to send officials.

EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef said he would skip the ceremony.

Italy's government urged the IPC to reverse course.

Some governments framed their action as solidarity with Ukraine; other actors framed it as defending sport's values.

Within Ukraine, the reaction combined formal protest, media decisions and references to prior controversies.

Ukraine’s Paralympic leadership and Sports Minister said officials will boycott the ceremony and demanded the Ukrainian flag not be used.

bgnes

The public broadcaster Suspilne said it would not air the opening ceremony but would transmit competitions on its sport channels.

Kyiv pointed to the disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych for intending to wear a memorial helmet as evidence of double standards by sports bodies.

Kyiv framed the IPC move as a betrayal of values rather than a neutral sporting judgment.

The episode has reopened the wider debate over whether sport can be separated from geopolitics.

“Poland has become the latest country to announce it will boycott the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in protest of Russia's involvement in the competition”

Daily Express US

Russia and its supporters argue sport should not be politicised and that banning disabled athletes is unfair, while Kyiv and allied governments say allowing national symbols risks normalising aggression.

Daily Express US

The IPC described the decision as an internal, democratic process in some reports, and several sources highlight that the IPC is a distinct body from the IOC, a point drawn out by BBC reporting.

Other commentators and national officials call for reversal or sanctions on the IPC decision.