Poland’s government officials will not attend the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics, scheduled for March 6 in Italy. This decision stems from the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) choice to allow ten athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags.
The Polish Ministry of Sport and Tourism announced this stance on February 18, stating,
“Due to the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the XIV Winter Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, using their national symbols, representatives of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism will not participate in the opening ceremony of the games.”
The ministry emphasized that the participation of athletes from these countries, especially under their own flags and anthems, is “absolutely unacceptable” in light of Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
On February 17, the IPC confirmed to BBC Sport that ten para-athletes from Russia and Belarus had received invitations to compete in events such as para-alpine skiing, para-cross country, and para-snowboarding at the 2026 Paralympics.
This decision has prompted a boycott from European sports commissioner Glenn Micallef and several Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, who criticized the IPC’s ruling as “dirty, disrespectful, and un-European”, pledging that Kyiv would respond appropriately.
This marks the first time since 2014 that Russia will compete in the Paralympics under its national flag. The country had previously faced bans from the Games due to a state-sponsored doping program and, more recently, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In December 2025, Russia and Belarus successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the International Ski Federation, allowing them to participate in competitions and accumulate ranking points.
The Winter Paralympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from March 6 to March 15, 2026.
Poland's decision to boycott the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics highlights ongoing tensions regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The IPC's allowance for these athletes to compete under their national flags has sparked significant backlash, particularly from Ukrainian officials.