Ahead of the official opening ceremony for the Winter Paralympics in Milano-Cortina, scheduled for 2026, several participating nations have begun to announce their intention to boycott the event. This widespread protest stems directly from a controversial decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian athletes to compete under their national anthem.
Previously, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) had allocated 10 participation slots for athletes from both Russia and Belarus combined, for the 2026 Winter Paralympics. Furthermore, the IPC also granted permission for athletes from these two nations to use their national flags and anthems during the upcoming competitions. This specific decision was notably made by the IPC in September 2025.
This allowance marks a significant shift from previous policies. For four years, following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, major global sports organizations, including the IPC itself, had imposed stringent sanctions on Russia. These sanctions typically barred Russian athletes from competing in events or prohibited the use of national flags and anthems in any competition.
Nevertheless, the IPC’s decision to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to once again use their national flags and anthems has been met with strong disapproval, particularly from the Ukrainian Paralympic team. In response, the Ukrainian team promptly announced their refusal to participate in the official opening ceremony. Following suit, Finland also publicly declared its withdrawal from the opening ceremony.
Earlier, in December 2025, the Czech Republic had informed the IPC that it would not attend the opening ceremony, initially citing scheduling conflicts. However, they subsequently clarified their stance, indicating a boycott driven by the issues surrounding Russia’s participation. Latvia, Poland, and the Netherlands have also communicated through their respective media outlets that they will join the boycott. More recently, Canada and the United Kingdom have also decided against attending the Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics opening ceremony, though they have stated their reasons as conflicting Alpine Ski competition schedules for their athletes.
Leading up to the games, numerous European countries, including host nation Italy, had already expressed their strong dissatisfaction with the IPC’s decision regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes being permitted to use their national flags and anthems during the competitions. These nations advocated for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral Paralympic flag, emphasizing a desire for impartiality in the face of ongoing geopolitical tensions.
