The best yet on ice and snow: Excitement builds 100 days out to Winter Paralympics in Italy

More than 600 athletes competing across six sports, delivering the best performances yet on ice and snow.

That’s what International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons expects in just 100 days, when the 2026 Winter Paralympics begin in Italy. The Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games run from March 6-15.

“We will be seeing athletes defying everything that people think is possible, like [visually impaired] skiers coming down a hill at 100 kilometres per hour, the ability in Para ice hockey, the precision of wheelchair curling,” Parsons told CBC Sports. “And we will see that in stunning sceneries like with the Dolomites as the background. Just incredible venues.”

Next year’s Games will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics in 1976 in Sweden. For the world’s top winter Para athletes, it also marks the return of fans after pandemic restrictions kept them away from Beijing in 2022.

“Being able to have that back again means a lot to us,” said Parsons, who has been the president of the IPC since 2017. “We had a very good experience in Pyeongchang eight years ago, and now it's time for this new generation of athletes to compete in front of good crowds.”

IPC President looks forward to at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics

Athletes will compete in 79 medal events across six different sports: Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.

A new medal event will make its debut in Italy: wheelchair curling mixed doubles.

Beyond how each sport has grown over the last few years, Parsons is most proud to see how the Paralympics can be a platform for inclusion. 

"Sport is the element that drives that change, so sport has to be of