The Ukrainian national team will not participate in the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, which will be held from March 6 to 15 in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, due to the presence of representatives of Russia and Belarus there under their flags, the official website of the National Paralympic Committee reports.
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The statement also requires the organizers not to use the Ukrainian flag during the opening ceremony at the San Siro stadium in Milan and other locations.
“We will fight for the sporting victories of Ukrainian athletes at the XIV Winter Paralympic Games and, together with athletes from other countries, we will achieve the principles of justice in Paralympic sports, supporting the main goal of the Paralympic Games as the highest sports forum in the world,” the statement says.
At the same time, the head of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, Valeriy Sushkevych, assured that the team would not boycott the competition, as this would play into Putin's hands.
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Earlier it became known that the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games will be boycotted by the Polish Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the European Union leadership, and Ukrainian officials. In addition, the Italian government opposed the participation of Russians in the 2026 Paralympics under its flag.
Recall that the International Paralympic Committee reinstated the rights of the Russian Paralympic Committee in September last year. Six Russians and four Belarusians plan to compete under their flag at the Milan 2026 arenas.
Previously, “FACTS” reported that Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Geraskevych was scandalously prevented from participating in the Olympic Games.
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Photo by the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine