Ukrainian Delegation Banned from Wearing National Flag at Paralympics The Ukrainian delegation has been prohibited from wearing their national flag on the Paralympics, with their uniforms featuring a map of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including all temporarily occupied territories. Sushkевич, a representative, stated that the design of the Ukrainian athletes' uniforms is beautiful, symbolic, and clearly conveys that Ukraine exists in the world and Europe with all its territories, free from Russian occupation. The uniform design was created by Ukrainian designer Viktor Anisimov, who also crafted the uniforms for the Ukrainian team at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games. Notably, ten countries, aside from Ukraine, have decided to boycott the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Friday, March 6, in Verona, as a protest against the participation of Russian athletes under their national flag. Meanwhile, several other delegations may also skip the event due to travel restrictions imposed following attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran. Countries planning to miss the ceremony include the Czech Republic, Croatia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, and Ukraine, according to Craig Spence, head of branding and communications at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Germany was added to the list earlier. The Winter Paralympic Games will take place in Milan and Cortina from March 5 to 16, with Ukraine sending 35 participants to compete in four sports. Please highlight the relevant section of the text and press Ctrl+Enter. Please highlight the relevant section of the text and press Report an error.#ukraine #paralympics #international_paralympic_committee #victor_anisimov #craig_spence
UK Joins Boycott of Paralympics Opening Ceremony Over Russian and Belarusian Participation The United Kingdom has joined Ukraine and other nations in boycotting the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Italy, protesting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national flags. Officials and the British team have refused to attend the opening and closing ceremonies in Verona, Italy, as a form of protest against the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian competitors in the event. A representative from the UK’s prime minister’s office stated on Thursday, March 5, 24 hours before the ceremony, that Russia and Belarus should not be represented in international sports while the full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues. The boycott is part of a broader international response to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paralympics. Earlier, teams from Ukraine, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Canada, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia had also announced plans to skip the opening ceremony for the same reason. Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiaga, had called for the boycott, emphasizing the need to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions. Russian and Belarusian athletes are participating in the Paralympics in Italy after their national paralympic committees were reinstated by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in September 2025. This followed the suspension of their memberships after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. However, their participation in the Paralympics was contingent on approval from international sports federations.#ukraine #uk #international_paralympic_committee #court_of_arbitration_for_sport #international_ski_federation
Russia's long exclusion from international sports events is set to end as its athletes will compete under their national flag at the Winter Paralympics for the first time since 2014. The decision marks a significant shift, with six Russian and four Belarusian athletes set to participate in the Games, despite ongoing tensions with Ukraine. The move has sparked widespread controversy, with Ukrainian athletes boycotting the opening ceremony and several nations expressing opposition. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifted its partial ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes last year, allowing them to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics. However, the IPC's decision was based on the argument that the athletes' participation did not directly promote Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. The organization cited concerns over the integrity of the Games and the risk of a boycott by other nations. This led to a partial suspension of bans in 2023, permitting athletes to compete as neutrals in the Paris Paralympics. The current arrangement allows Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags, a change that has drawn sharp criticism. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the decision as "awful," while some Ukrainian athletes have refused to participate in the Games altogether. The IPC has faced backlash from countries like Germany, the UK, and Italy, which have expressed solidarity with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian officials accuse boycotting teams of politicizing the Paralympic movement. The decision has also raised questions about the broader implications for international sports. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has previously barred Russian athletes from competing as neutrals due to doping scandals and the Ukraine conflict.#russia #ukraine #belarus #international_paralympic_committee #volodymyr_zelensky
Seven countries to boycott Paralympics ceremony over flag-flying Russians The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed that seven nations and the British government will skip the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in Verona, Italy, in protest against the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine have decided not to send representatives to the event, which will take place on Friday night. The UK government also declined to send officials, citing its opposition to Russian athletes competing under their national flag during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, the minister for sport, Stephanie Peacock, will attend the event in Cortina to support ParalympicsGB athletes. The IPC stated that Russian athletes will compete under their own flag for the first time since 2014, despite being banned from the 2022 Paralympics following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The organization emphasized that its decision to allow Russian participation aligns with democratic principles, as the IPC’s general assembly voted on the issue in September 2025. The vote resulted in no suspension of Russian or Belarusian athletes, reversing previous decisions from 2022 and 2023. Andrew Parsons, the IPC president, defended the move, stating that the IPC respects the decisions of its member organizations and cannot selectively apply democratic principles. Parsons acknowledged the controversy surrounding the decision, noting that it has not been well received globally. He reiterated the IPC’s commitment to supporting all stakeholders and ensuring the event remains a platform for social change, particularly for the 1.3 billion people with disabilities worldwide.#czech_republic #international_paralympic_committee #estonia #finland #stephanie_peacock
UK Government Joins Boycott of Paralympic Opening Ceremony Over Russia, Belarus Participation The UK government has joined a boycott of the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony, protesting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Games. The decision follows a February ruling by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that allowed Russian and Belarusian competitors to take part under their own flags for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which Belarus supported. Ukraine’s state representatives announced their absence from the Games the day after the IPC’s decision, and several other nations have since confirmed they will not attend the opening or closing ceremonies. A UK government spokesperson stated that the IPC’s decision to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags is unacceptable. The statement emphasized that the Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in international sports while the invasion of Ukraine continues. As a result, no government ministers or officials will attend the Paralympics’ opening or closing ceremonies. Germany’s Paralympic Committee echoed this stance, noting that the boycott aims to “focus on the upcoming competitions” while expressing “values-based solidarity” with the Ukrainian delegation. Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Poland had already announced in February that they would boycott the opening ceremony. The IPC suspended Russia and Belarus following the 2022 invasion, which was conducted with Belarusian support.#russia #ukraine #uk_government #belarus #international_paralympic_committee
