“SVO” in the sports arena: what’s behind the decision to allow Russians to participate in the 2026 Paralympics
23 February 19:54
The International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete in the 2026 Winter Paralympics under their national flags has become one of the most controversial issues on the international sports agenda. For Ukraine, a country that has been resisting full-scale aggression for four years, this decision is a painful signal: the world of sports is increasingly demonstrating its willingness to return to “business as usual.” Zaluzhny called the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes to the Paralympics the participation of “yesterday’s killers of Ukrainian children” and warned that such games have always preceded disasters. However, is this decision an exception or a new trend? Will Russia try to legalize the war criminals of the so-called “SVO” in the international sports arena? Vladimir Mula, a Ukrainian film director, sports reporter, journalist, presenter, the first Ukrainian director to win an Emmy Award, and an Honored Artist of Ukraine, spoke about this in an exclusive interview with "Komersant Ukrainian".
The trend is only gaining momentum
Commenting on the decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags, Mula emphasizes that this is not an isolated case, but a consequence of a change in general international policy.
“Of course, this is a very telling and unpleasant situation for Ukrainians. But I want to say that this is a consequence of a change in position and, in general, policy towards Ukraine. Various international federations of different sports have already begun to admit Russian athletes — in one form or another, with or without flags. Some have returned the flag, some have not, and some have allowed only athletes from Russia to compete. And, unfortunately, this trend is only gaining momentum,” says Volodymyr Mula.
According to the sports reporter, the Ukrainian side currently has no effective mechanisms to counter such a wave of decisions.
“So far, I don’t see any effective solutions or even mechanisms that could be implemented to counteract what is happening. Therefore, unfortunately, I don’t see such a ‘sports Ramstein’ in the field of sports as we see in the political arena,” notes Mula.
Neutral status — a temporary compromise?
Separately, the director draws attention to precedents in other sports, particularly fencing, where Russians are allowed to compete as neutral athletes.
“It’s like what’s happening now in fencing: they were admitted, but under a neutral flag. They compete as neutral athletes. Our athletes have been in such situations for several years now, living in such an information field. They know exactly how to behave and position themselves correctly at major tournaments. We will not be ashamed,” says Volodymyr Mula.
Incidentally, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny spoke harshly about the admission of Russians to the Paralympics. He says that Western partnersdo notyetneed to send soldiers to war, but the world must show its position on the participation of Russians in international sports.
“There is still no need to send our soldiers to war. For now, it is enough for our friends to show their will and their attitude towards the fact that yesterday’s killers of Ukrainian children will participate in the Paralympic Games. Incidentally, every catastrophe began after such Olympics, where sport was supposedly separate from politics,” Valery Zaluzhny
Sport as a platform for Ukraine
Despite his critical assessments, Volodymyr Mula is convinced that a boycott is not the answer. On the contrary, refusing to participate would mean losing the opportunity to talk about the war and Ukraine on global platforms.
“I am convinced that we need to compete and participate. Because not competing means losing the opportunity to talk to the world about Ukraine. Whatever anyone says, this is a really great platform and an opportunity to draw attention to Ukraine,” Volodymyr Mula
According to him, there is a certain fatigue with Ukraine abroad today, both in the sporting and cultural spheres.
“Let’s be honest: the war has done a lot of damage. And now we really feel — at least I feel it — a certain fatigue with Ukraine abroad. This is evident in various areas, both sports and cinema,” says Volodymyr Mula.
That is why, he emphasizes, Ukrainian athletes must be present on the international stage — not only as athletes, but as ambassadors of the state.
“The fact that our Paralympic culture will be represented at the Paralympics is the right move. Unfortunately, no one will do this work for us. We ourselves must, as they say, fight for our place under the sun,” says Volodymyr Mula.
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The Kremlin’s strategy and international influence
The director emphasizes that allowing Russians to participate in international competitions is part of a broader strategy by the Russian Federation.
“Strategically, the Russians aim to promote their so-called heroes of the so-called ‘SVO’. Russia has influence. We now even see representatives of Russian structures in international federations, where they do whatever they want,” Vladimir Mula
“Interception Game” and the culture of resistance
Mula has repeatedly explored the theme of sporting resistance in his films. His documentary The Interception Game is about how Ukrainian athletes use major international competitions as a platform to convey the truth about the war.
“In addition to sports, Ukrainian athletes try to talk about the situation in Ukraine at major sporting events. This really commands respect,” Volodymyr Mula
Thus, sport becomes not only an arena for competition, but also a field of information warfare.
So, at a time when the international situation is changing and principles often give way to pragmatism, Ukrainian sport is not just about medals. It is about subjectivity, about having a voice, about fighting for the right to be heard.
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