Ministers: We strongly condemn IPC's complete disregard for our country, athletes

Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha and Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny condemn the discrimination against the Ukrainian national team at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy).

"The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine has issued a statement regarding the discriminatory, disrespectful and unacceptable attitude towards the Ukrainian national team and Ukrainian fans at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. The International Paralympic Committee has not only allowed the blood-stained Russian and Belarusian flags, but is also trying to ban Ukrainian symbols and even the yellow-blue colors," the ministers said in a joint statement.

They said the IPC’s decision to openly side with Russia in its genocidal war against Ukraine is immoral and contradicts all the principles of Olympism and the norms of humanity.

"Future generations will call these decisions what they deserve: shame," the Ukrainian ministers said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine stated that since the beginning of the XIV Winter Paralympic Games in 2026, the national Paralympic team, its athletes and coaches have been subjected to systematic pressure from representatives of the International Paralympic Committee and the Organizing Committee of the Games.

In particular, it is noted that at first, representatives of the Organizing Committee forced the removal of the Ukrainian flag at the athletes’ residence, and a few days later they allowed it to be hung again, but in a place where it was less visible. In addition, it is noted that at the award ceremony, champion Oleksandr Kononova was forced to remove earrings with the Ukrainian flag, on which Stop War was written, without explaining the