Ukrainian team boycotting 2026 Paralympic Games opening ceremony, demanding that Ukrainian flag not be used

The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine announces that the Ukrainian Paralympic team will boycott the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games and demands that the Ukrainian flag not be used at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Paralympic Games.

"The Ukrainian Paralympic community and the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine are outraged by the cynical decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to award Russia and Belarus bilateral slots, which would allow six Russian Paralympic athletes and four Belarusian Paralympic athletes to compete in the XIV Winter Paralympic Games. We would like to point out that neither Russia nor Belarus passed the qualification process to receive licenses to participate in the Milano-Cortina Paralympic Games!" the Committee’s statement reads.

It is noted that even after the 2025 IPC General Assembly’s decision to restore their full membership in the international Paralympic movement, Russia and Belarus were not allowed to participate in the Winter Paralympics in Milano-Cortina, as they did not have any legal license for their sporting entities.

"Many countries of the world applied for additional slots to allow their young athletes to participate and to begin developing winter Paralympic sports in their countries, but contrary to the regulations governing the allocation of these slots, the IPC decided to award the largest number of slots to Russia," the Committee said.

The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine considers this fact a continuation of the IPC’s systemic policy of loyalty toward a country that has now become a military threat to virtually all European countries.

"The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine declares that the Ukrainian Paralympic