Ukraine and several other countries will boycott the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina due to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, President of Ukraine’s Paralympic Committee Valeriy Sushkevich said on 1 March, Ukrinform reports.
“Political identification of a killer state at the highest forum of Paralympic sport is unacceptable,” Sushkevich said on television. He added that several European countries have already announced they will join Ukraine in skipping the opening ceremony on 6 March in Verona.
Other countries joining the opening ceremony boycott include Canada, Czechia, Finland, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia, according to Ukrinform.
Russia carries its flag at the Paralympics for the first time since 2014
Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes have been granted places at the Games and will compete under their national flags, the International Paralympic Committee announced in February.
This marks the first time Russian athletes will carry their country’s flag at a Paralympic Games since 2014, following bans in 2016 for state-sponsored doping and in 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s slots include two in alpine skiing, two in cross-country skiing, and two in snowboard. Belarus received four slots in cross-country skiing.
Ukraine will still compete despite protest
Sushkevich expressed hope that in the remaining days before the Games, organizers in Italy could prevent the use of political symbols or state attributes linked to Russia and Belarus.
Sushkevich emphasized that Ukraine’s Paralympic team still intends to compete in the Games, even as it protests the inclusion of the two countries.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 6 March, with competitions to follow across venues in Milan and Cortina.
