Ukraine's Paralympic team plans to boycott the opening ceremony of the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games. This decision stems from the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) choice to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete. While the Ukrainian athletes will still participate in the games themselves, officials and the team have declared they will not attend the opening ceremony, marking a significant protest against the IPC's ruling.
Background to the Boycott
The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics are scheduled to begin on March 6. The IPC announced that a small number of athletes from Russia and Belarus would be permitted to compete. Specifically, six Russian athletes and four Belarusian athletes will take part in events such as alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.
The IPC's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags is a departure from the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) stance, which requires athletes from these nations to compete as independent neutral athletes.
Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee has formally announced its team's intention to skip the opening ceremony.
This move follows a similar declaration from Ukrainian government officials.
Ukrainian Stance and Official Statements
Ukrainian officials have voiced strong disapproval of the IPC's decision. Matviy Bidnyi, Ukraine's Minister of Youth and Sports, stated that Ukrainian public officials would not attend the Paralympic Games at all, deeming the IPC's decision "outrageous."
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"In response to the outrageous decision to let Russians and Belarusians compete under their national flags, Ukrainian public officials will not attend the Paralympic Games." - Matviy Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports, Ukraine.
The Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee has echoed this sentiment, confirming their team's absence from the opening ceremony. Valeriy Sushkevych, president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, communicated that while the team would not engage in a full boycott of the Games, they would not be present for the opening events.
Ukrainian athletes are still set to compete in the main events of the Paralympics, which run from March 6 to March 15.
The protest focuses specifically on the opening ceremony and broader official participation.
International Reactions and Precedents
The decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their flags has drawn criticism from other international bodies. The European Commissioner for Sport, Glenn Micallef, has also stated he will boycott the opening ceremony, calling the situation "unacceptable."
The Ukrainian team has historically performed well in the Winter Paralympics, securing second place in the medal table four years ago in Beijing.
This situation arises in the broader context of international sporting bodies navigating the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes following the conflict in Ukraine.
Key Information
Event: Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics
Dates: March 6 - March 15
Ukrainian Action: Boycott of the opening ceremony and official events.
Reason for Boycott: IPC's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.
Participants from Russia/Belarus: Six Russian athletes, four Belarusian athletes.
Sports Involved: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding.
The boycott by Ukraine highlights ongoing tensions and differing approaches among international sports organizations regarding the participation of athletes from nations involved in conflict. The IPC's decision, in particular, marks a divergence from the IOC's more restrictive policies for the Olympic Games.
Sources:
RFI: https://www.rfi.fr/en/sports/20260220-ukraine-paralympics-team-to-boycott-opening-ceremony-over-russian-flag-decision-statement
Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/ukrainian-officials-to-boycott-winter-paralympics-over-decision-to-allow-russians-to-compete-under-their-flag-13509072
NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraine-boycott-winter-paralympics-russians-competing-flag-belarus-rcna259525
NHK World-Japan: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2026022010/
The Athletic (New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7055126/2026/02/18/ukraine-russia-paralympics-milano-cortina-ban/
Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/2/20/ukraine-to-boycott-paralympic-games-ceremony-due-to-russian-participation
The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/paralympics-ukrainian-team-to-boycott-opening-ceremony-due-to-russian-participation
