The International Paralympic Committee has lifted partial suspensions of Russia and Belarus, restoring their full membership rights and opening the possibility for athletes from both countries to compete under their national flags at future Paralympic Games.
Since 2022, approximately 591 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed as a result of Russian aggression.
According to the International Paralympic Committee, member organizations voted against maintaining the partial suspensions during the IPC General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea on 27 September.
The voting results showed clear majorities against both full and partial suspensions. For Russia, member organizations voted 111-55 against full suspension, with 11 abstentions, and subsequently voted 91-77 against partial suspension, with 8 abstentions. Belarus saw even larger margins, with votes of 119-48 against full suspension and 103-63 against partial suspension.
The decision means both national Paralympic committees now regain their complete rights and privileges within the organization.
The Russian Paralympic Committee welcomed the outcome, calling it a fair decision and an example of how athletes' rights should be protected without discrimination based on national or political grounds.
The restoration of full membership rights potentially allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics. However, actual participation will depend on decisions by individual international sports federations, which govern the specific sports and maintain their own policies regarding Russian and Belarusian athlete participation.
The decision follows a similar move by the International Olympic Committee, which authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics under neutral conditions.
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