Ukraine modifies uniform after IPC ban on national maps

MILAN, March 3 - The Ukrainian team changed a planned uniform for the Paralympic Games that featured a map of the country’s internationally recognised borders, because items related to national identity are forbidden, a top official told Reuters.

An alternative uniform was provided within 24 hours and approved by the International Paralympic Committee, IPC Chief Brand and Communications Officer Craig Spence said.

The original design featured a map of Ukraine, including all territories temporarily occupied by Russia, Ukrainian media reported.

The Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics will run from March 6 to March 15, with Ukraine represented by 35 athletes competing in four sports.

Under IPC rules governing Games uniforms, national anthem lyrics, motivational words and public or political messages or slogans related to national identity are prohibited.

"A country's map falls within this category, which is why one item of Ukraine's uniform for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games was not approved several months ago," Spence said.

During the Winter Olympics in February, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified for wearing a custom helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's invasion, which began four years ago.

Ukraine had already announced it will boycott the opening ceremony in Verona on Friday after the IPC allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their flags and with their national anthems.

(Giancarlo Navach, editing by Giselda Vagnoni and Ed Osmond)