The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has prohibited the Ukrainian team from using its updated uniform design for the upcoming 2026 Paralympic Games. This decision was confirmed by Craig Spence, the IPC’s Director of Communications, in a statement to the media outlet Glavkom.
Set to commence on March 6, 2026, the Winter Paralympic Games will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Ukrainian team had planned to debut a new uniform, but the IPC deemed the design to be politically charged and thus not compliant with its regulations.
Spence elaborated on the reasoning behind the ban, stating that the uniform featured elements that violated IPC guidelines. Specifically, any depiction of symbols associated with national identity is prohibited on uniforms. He noted, “According to IPC rules regarding uniforms for the Paralympic Games, texts of national anthems, motivational phrases, public/political messages, or slogans related to national identity are forbidden. A map of the country falls under this category, which is why one element of the Ukrainian uniform for the 2026 Games was not approved. The Ukrainian NPC quickly proposed an alternative that was accepted by the IPC.”
Despite the setback, Valeriy Sushkevych, President of the Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee, assured that the team has successfully received a new set of uniforms that will allow athletes to participate in the competition.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will run from March 6 to March 15, featuring a total of 79 medal events.
The IPC has banned the Ukrainian team's updated uniform for the 2026 Paralympics due to political symbolism. The team has since received an approved alternative uniform ahead of the games.