Ukraine’s Paralympic team reports systematic pressure on athletes and coaches from the International Paralympic Committee and the Organizing Committee of the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. The team has never faced such overt negativity before, says Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee.
The Ukrainian team has been participating in the Games for 30 years. But in 2026, Russia, despite military aggression, was allowed to compete at the Paralympic Games under its own national flag, for the first time in 12 years.
The first incidents occurred at athlete accommodations
They demanded the removal of the Ukrainian flag from the building housing the team, despite a longstanding tradition.
After two days of disputes, the flag was allowed back, but only in a location where it was “practically invisible.”
Stop War earrings under scrutiny, Ukrainian flags confiscated
Particularly alarming were instances of direct censorship during competitions. Champion Oleksandra Kononova was reportedly forced, just before her medal ceremony, to remove earrings with the inscription “Stop War,” deemed “unsafe” for the awards protocol.
The family of another champion, Taras Radia, underwent thorough inspections in the stands: IPC officials confiscated Ukrainian flags and even women’s scarves with traditional embroidery, claiming this was “unacceptable paraphernalia.”
Loyalty to Russia and Belarus rewarded
The Ukrainian committee emphasizes that this pressure occurs amid the IPC’s demonstrative favoritism toward representatives of Russia and Belarus.
“The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine demands that the IPC leadership initiate a process to return to the provisions of the IPC Constitution and properly coordinate the activities of its executive bodies during the XIV Winter Paralympic Games,” the statement reads.
