Seven countries, alongside the British government, have confirmed they will boycott the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in protest at the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national flags, reports Baltimore Chronicle via Guardian. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) stated that the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine will not be sending athletes or officials to the ceremony, scheduled for Friday evening at the historic Arena di Verona. In addition, several other nations, including Great Britain, will not send athletic representatives to the opening, citing the imminent start of competition. Current estimates suggest that fewer than 60% of participating countries will be represented by full delegations.
The UK government reiterated its stance against Russian and Belarusian participation under their own flags, emphasizing that the nations should not be represented internationally during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. A government statement noted that the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock, would attend in Cortina solely to support ParalympicsGB athletes, without official diplomatic representation.
Andrew Parsons, president of the IPC, defended the decision to allow Russian athletes to compete under their national flag for the first time since 2014. He explained that the IPC’s decision-making follows a democratic process among member organizations and that prior decisions in 2022 and 2023 had included full and partial suspensions, respectively. Parsons stressed that the IPC is bound by its constitution to respect the votes of its members and cannot selectively apply suspensions.
Addressing broader geopolitical tensions, Parsons refrained from commenting on the potential impact of the US–Israel conflict with Iran on athlete participation. He confirmed that the IPC is monitoring the situation closely, assessing its implications for the Games and the wider Paralympic movement. “Our thoughts are with those affected,” he stated.
Despite these geopolitical constraints, the IPC emphasized that the 2026 Winter Paralympics will mark the largest edition in the event’s history and its 50th anniversary. Approximately 612 athletes from 56 nations are expected to compete, surpassing the 474 athletes from 38 countries at the Torino 2008 Winter Games. Events will be held across Milan, Cortina, and the municipality of Tesero, making the Games the largest in geographic scope to date.
Parsons highlighted the significance of the Paralympics as a global platform for persons with disabilities. “This is the only event of global reach that puts persons with disabilities centre stage. If given opportunities and barriers removed, persons with disability can achieve anything,” he said, stressing the Games’ role in promoting inclusion worldwide.
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