Outrage in Ukraine: authorities will not participate in the Winter Paralympics after a controversial decision

Ukrainian authorities will not attend the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan Cortina in March, following the decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their respective national flags, according to a Ukrainian minister. Matvii Bidnyi, Ukraine's Minister of Sports, shared his country's stance in a post on X on Wednesday, expressing disbelief at the ICC's decision. "In response to the outrageous decision by the organizers of the Paralympic Games to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete under their national flags, the Ukrainian authorities will not attend the Paralympic Games," Bidny's message said, before confirming that the Ukrainian authorities will refuse to participate in any other Paralympic event due to the IPC's action.

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The lawmaker preemptively thanked officials from the "free world" who also lean towards abstaining from participating in the Paralympic events in support of Ukraine's protest, before concluding his update with a defiant statement: "We will keep fighting!", he wrote. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, echoed the sentiment of his colleague, writing in a post on X: “Allowing the flags of aggressor states to be raised at the Paralympic Games while Russia's war against Ukraine continues is wrong, both morally and politically.” Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture and Sport, expressed his solidarity with Ukraine in a post on X, highlighting the intolerance towards the ICC's call. "This is unacceptable," the diplomat wrote. "As long as Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues, I cannot support the restoration of national symbols, flags, anthems and uniforms, which are inseparable from that conflict," he added. Micallef confirmed that he will not attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, with the exception of expressing his gratitude to the athletes: "I do so with respect for the athletes, but with clarity about the principles at stake," he explained.

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He urged his counterparts to adopt the same stance. This will be the first time a Russian flag is displayed at the Paralympic Games since the Sochi 2014 Games, in Russia. Meanwhile, Russians and Belarusians continue to compete under the AIN flag at the Olympic Games.