Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee has announced it will boycott the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics in Verona on 6 March, citing the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) granted 10 combined slots to Russian and Belarusian competitors, prompting political backlash.
“The community of Ukrainian Paralympians and the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine are outraged by the cynical decision of the IPC to grant bipartite slots to Russia and Belarus,” the Ukrainian committee said in a statement, demanding that its flag not be displayed at the ceremony.
The Czech Paralympic Committee said it would also boycott the opening ceremony in solidarity, while some Polish officials confirmed they would stay away, calling the IPC decision “absolutely unacceptable.”
“Our representatives will not be present at the opening of the Games in Verona, we will not have a flag bearer in Cortina, and we will not be filming messages from athletes that were to be shown at the ceremony,” the Czech committee added.
Ukraine’s Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi has previously said Ukrainian officials would boycott the entire Games, although athletes from the country will still compete between 6-15 March.
The decision follows the earlier disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who wore a helmet commemorating athletes killed in the war.
The IPC said it was in direct contact with Ukraine’s Paralympic Committee and the matter would be discussed internally.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry confirmed that the potential return of Russian and Belarusian athletes had not been discussed with the International Olympic Committee and that attention remains on the final days of the ongoing Milano Cortina Games.
Currently, a limited number of Russian and Belarusian athletes are competing as neutral independents, without national flags or anthems, while the Olympic Committees of both nations remain sanctioned.
Russia has criticised the decision, saying it is wrong to mix sport and politics and that targeting disabled athletes is offensive.
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Pa...
The head of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) says Armenia has effectively withdrawn from the military alliance, despi...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met India’s Minister of External Affairs in Baku for talks on strengthening bilateral relations, with a fo...
Saudi Aramco has ordered staff to evacuate its headquarters amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. Two people were killed in an attack on Dammam airport, while Iran's IRGC Navy claimed strikes on seven vessels and warned the U.S. of a wider response.
Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight killed at least two people and injured 15 others, including two children, Ukrainian authorities said. Meanwhile, Russia said it had intercepted the vast majority of 630 Ukrainian drones launched towards Moscow.
Russia is willing in principle to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the United States in November, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said after President Vladimir Putin met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
Super typhoon Champi is set to batter Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture from Friday (23 October), bringing violent winds, torrential rain and waves up to 11 metres high, as airlines cancel flights and organisers scrap a major festival.
The modern state has been formed within the framework of the principle of secularism. For this reason, the principle of secularism is reflected in constitutional texts, which are regarded as a social contract and regulate relations between the state and society (citizens).
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met India’s Minister of External Affairs in Baku for talks on strengthening bilateral relations, with a focus on trade, investment, energy and technology.
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Greece’s parliament has passed a bill banning under-15s from using social media from 1 January 2027, as the country steps up efforts to protect children online. The new law will require platforms to enforce age restrictions.
France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Friday that 70,000 security forces would be mobilised throughout the country to keep order on Saturday, adding there have been calls for looting and violence from the ultra-left.
Missile and drone attacks have put Saudi Arabia on high alert, disrupting life in Riyadh and testing a new defence pact with Türkiye and Pakistan as regional tensions escalate.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment