The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete under their national flags at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina. This decision marks a significant shift in the participation status of these athletes, following their previous exclusion from international competitions due to geopolitical tensions.
The IPC confirmed that these ten athletes received invitations from a bilateral commission to participate in events such as alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding. Specifically, the Russian Paralympic Committee has been allocated six spots—two each in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding. Meanwhile, the Belarusian Paralympic Committee has been granted four quotas, all in cross-country skiing.
This will be the first instance since the 2014 Sochi Games that the Russian flag will be officially raised at a Paralympic event. Among the athletes allowed to compete are three-time Paralympic champion Alexey Bugayev, as well as World Championship medalists Ivan Golubkov and Anastasia Bagiyan.
Valeriy Sushkevich, President of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, expressed his discontent with the IPC’s decision but stated that Ukraine would not boycott the Games. He emphasized that withdrawing would signify a victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukrainian athletes, effectively excluding Ukraine from the event.
The backdrop to this decision includes a series of events following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which led to the suspension of both Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions. Initially, they were allowed to compete only under a neutral status. On September 27, 2025, the IPC General Assembly voted against the continued suspension of these countries, restoring their rights ahead of the 2026 Games. This decision has been met with strong criticism, including from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Youth and Sports, who labeled it as disgraceful.
In December 2025, Russia and Belarus successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the International Ski Federation (FIS), further facilitating their return to competitive events. Following this, on December 18, 2025, the Ukrainian Parliament urged the global community and the IPC to prohibit the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international tournaments.
The IPC's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the 2026 Winter Paralympics has sparked controversy, particularly from Ukraine. Despite criticism, Ukraine will participate to avoid further exclusion from international sports.
Source: BBC