The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has officially confirmed that athletes from Belarus and Russia will not take part in the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy. The announcement was published on the organization’s official website, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to the IPC.
In September, the IPC General Assembly voted to reinstate the national Paralympic committees of Russia and Belarus. This decision technically allowed athletes from these countries to participate in international competitions, including the 2026 Paralympics, provided they met qualification standards established by the respective international sports federations.
Following that vote, the IPC contacted the four international federations overseeing the relevant disciplines to confirm whether Russian and Belarusian athletes could realistically qualify. Each federation responded that, under current circumstances, none of the athletes from the two countries would be able to earn a spot at the Games.
On October 21, the councils of the federations responsible for Paralympic alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding voted not to facilitate the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the qualification process. The International Paralympic Biathlon Federation confirmed that athletes from both countries remain suspended from all competitions under the IPC’s September 2022 decision.
The situation with Paralympic ice hockey is slightly different. While Russia has technically regained the right to participate in tournaments following the IPC’s General Assembly decision, the team cannot qualify for the 2026 Games since it failed to reach the final qualification event. Belarus, meanwhile, does not have a team competing internationally in this discipline.
In wheelchair curling, the international federation announced in January 2025 that the exclusion of Russia and Belarus from all competitions would remain in effect until the end of the 2024–2025 season. As a result, the decisions of three major federations effectively prevent athletes from both countries from participating in any qualification tournaments, while the six teams competing in Paralympic hockey qualification have already been confirmed.
IPC President Andrew Parsons emphasized that the committee fully respects both the General Assembly’s decision to restore the membership of Russia and Belarus and the right of international federations to determine their own policies regarding participation.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will take place from March 6 to 15 in Milan and Cortina, Italy, featuring 79 medal events across six sports.
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