Ukraine Paralympians to boycott opening ceremony
Ukraine's Winter Paralympics team will boycott the event's opening ceremony next month after Russian and Belarusian athletes were invited to compete under their national flags.
Coverage by Political Leaning
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Notable Quotes
"The IPC is in regular dialogue with NPC Ukraine and we are discussing the statement within the IPC."
— Andrew Parsons , Executive
"We will not be present at the opening ceremony. We will not take part in any other official Paralympic events."
— Matvii Bidnyi , Politician
"The flags of Russia and Belarus have no place at international sporting events that stand for fairness, integrity, and respect."
— Matvii Bidnyi , Politician
"Allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags while the brutal invasion of Ukraine continues sends a terrible message."
— Lisa Nandy , Politician
"Ukrainian public officials will not attend the Paralympic Games."
— Matviy Bidny , Politician
"Allowing the flags of aggressor states to be raised at the Paralympic Games while Russia's war against Ukraine rages on is wrong — morally and politically."
— Andriy Sybiga , Politician
"Picking a Russian person to carry the nameplate is despicable."
— Georgiy Tykhy , Politician
"If we do not go, it would mean allowing Putin to claim a victory over Ukrainian Paralympians."
— Valeriy Sushkevych , Athlete
"Ukrainian public officials will not attend the Paralympic Games. We will not be present at the opening ceremony."
— Matviy Bidny , Politician
"Allowing the flags of aggressor states to be raised at the Paralympic Games while Russia's war against Ukraine rages on is wrong - morally and politically."
— Andriy Sybiga , Politician
"If we do not go, it would mean allowing Putin to claim a victory over Ukrainian Paralympians and over Ukraine by excluding us from the Games."
— Valeriy Sushkevych , Athlete
"Picking a Russian person to carry the nameplate is despicable."
— Georgiy Tykhy , Politician
"In response to the Paralympics organisers’ outrageous decision to let russians and belarusians compete under their national flags, Ukrainian officials will not attend the Paralympic Games."
— Matvii Bidnyi , Politician
"I think this is an awful decision... and not just. We will react."
— Volodymyr Zelenskiy , Politician
"the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors to take part under their national flags at the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics was 'morally and politically' wrong."
— Andrii Sybiha , Politician
"I am very, very angry and outraged by the decision to allow six Russian athletes to compete under their own flag. This is terrible, it's an escalation of leniency towards representatives of a murderous state! This is not fair play."
— Valerii Sushkevych , Executive
"If we didn't go, we would be enabling Putin to win over Ukrainian Paralympians, over Ukraine, by excluding us from the Games. That is not going to happen!"
— Valerii Sushkevych , Executive
Key People
Andrew Parsons is the president of the International Paralympic Committee.
Andrii Sybiha is Ukraine's Foreign Minister.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister advocating for a boycott of the opening ceremony.
Foreign Minister of Italy who criticized the IPC's decision.
Spokesman for Ukraine's foreign ministry who condemned the choice of a Russian woman to carry the name card.
President of FIFA.
EU's sports commissioner who announced his intention to skip the opening ceremony.
UK culture secretary who urged the IPC to reconsider allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their flags.
Matvii Bidnyi is the sports minister of Ukraine.
Ukrainian sports minister who criticized the IPC's decision on Russian athletes.
President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine.
President of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee expressing opposition to the boycott.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy is the President of Ukraine.
Tags
All Coverage
Ukraine's Winter Paralympics team will boycott the event's opening ceremony next month after Russian and Belarusian athletes were invited to compete under their national flags.
European Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef announced he will boycott the Milan-Cortina Paralympics Opening Ceremony in protest of the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. Micallef stated that reinstating these national symbols while Russia's war against Ukraine continues is unacceptable.
Ukraine’s sports minister condemned the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at the upcoming Winter Paralympics as 'disappointing and outrageous.' In response, Ukrainian officials will not attend the opening ceremony or other official events.
Ukrainian officials announced they will boycott the Paralympic Winter Games after the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. Ukraine's sports minister called the decision 'outrageous' and accused Russia and Belarus of turning sport into a tool of war.
Ukraine's sports minister criticized the International Paralympic Committee's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags, calling it 'outrageous.' In response, Ukrainian officials will not attend the opening ceremony or other official Paralympic events.
For the first time in over a decade, Russian athletes will compete under their national flag at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Milan from March 6–15, 2026. This decision, announced by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), also includes the reinstatement of Russia’s national anthem for any gold medal celebrations. In protest, Ukraine announced a boycott of the games’ official events.
Valerii Sushkevych, President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, stated that Ukraine is not considering a boycott of the Paralympic Games despite the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. He emphasized that not participating would allow Putin to claim a victory over Ukrainian Paralympians.
Ukrainian officials will boycott the Paralympic Winter Games after the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. The EU's sports commissioner Glenn Micallef said he would also skip the opening ceremony.
Ukrainian officials will boycott the Paralympic Winter Games after the International Paralympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. Ukraine's sports minister called the decision 'outrageous' and accused Russia and Belarus of turning sport into a tool of war.
Poland’s sports ministry announced that its representatives will not attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in Italy after Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete under their national flags and anthems. The ministry stated that participation by athletes from these countries using their national symbols is 'absolutely unacceptable.'
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