sports
February 19, 2026
Russian and Belarusian flags to return at 2026 Paralympics
Russia will compete under its national flag at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games for the first time since 2014
TL;DR
- Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete under their national flags at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
- The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has awarded six quota places to Russia and ten wildcard entries to athletes from Russia and Belarus.
- Athletes will compete in Para-alpine skiing, Para cross-country skiing, and Para-snowboarding.
- This decision reverses a ban imposed following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
- The EU's sports commissioner announced he will boycott the opening ceremony in protest.
- Russia accuses Western nations of pressuring federations to ban its athletes for political reasons.
- Despite restrictions, Russian para-athletes have achieved strong results in international competitions.
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