Ukraine has announced a boycott of the Paralympics in Milan: what is the reason?
18 February 17:02
Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny sharply condemned the IPC’s decision to return the aggressors’ symbols to the 2026 Winter Games. Official Kyiv announced a boycott of all the festive events of the upcoming Paralympics.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the Minister of Youth and Sports’ Facebook account.
Position of the Ministry of Youth and Sports
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) found itself at the center of a high-profile scandal after its decision to allow representatives of Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags at the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The head of the relevant Ukrainian ministry, Matviy Bidny, expressed his categorical indignation at the actions of international officials.
According to Bidny, granting the right to use state symbols to aggressor countries is an attempt to legitimize war crimes through sport.
“The symbols of Russia and Belarus have no right to appear at tournaments based on the principles of honesty and respect. These regimes have turned athletics into a mechanism of propaganda and contempt,” the minister stressed.
He also stressed that in Russia, the Paralympic movement has become a specific platform for supporting individuals who were injured during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the official, raising the Russian flag on the world stage is a signal to society that aggression is an acceptable norm.
Boycott and sanctions against the IPC decision
In response to the actions of the IPC General Assembly, where the majority of delegates (91 votes to 77) supported the full restoration of the Russian Paralympic Committee’s membership, the Ukrainian side is taking decisive measures:
- Official boycott: Ukrainian officials will not attend the 2026 Paralympic Games.
- Diplomatic demarche: Representatives of Ukraine will be absent from the opening ceremony and other official events.
- International coordination: Ukraine calls on its partners in the free world to join in ignoring the protocol events of the Games.
The future of the 2026 Paralympics
The Winter Games are scheduled to take place from March 6 to 15, 2026, in Italy.
Despite the admission of ten athletes from aggressor countries under their national flags, Ukraine promises to continue exerting pressure on international platforms to prevent the Kremlin from further politicizing sports.
Matviy Bidny called on the IPC leadership to reconsider its position and show courage by banning hostile symbols before the start of the competition.
The World Congress of Ukrainians strongly condemned the decision of the International Paralympic Committee
The World Congress of Ukrainians (WCU) strongly condemned the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina, calling it a betrayal of Paralympic values and demanding its immediate reversal.
In an open letter, UWC President Paul Grod stated that this decision forces victims of war to look at the symbols of the states responsible for their injuries, while Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine continues with the active support of Belarus.
“A significant portion of Ukraine’s Paralympic team consists of athletes who were wounded as a direct result of this war,” Grod said. “Many of them have lost limbs, mobility, or sight due to rocket strikes, artillery fire, mines, and drones. Forcing these athletes to compete under the flags and anthems of the aggressor states is morally unacceptable.”
At the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, Ukraine was represented by 140 athletes — the largest delegation in the country’s history, formed amid ongoing hostilities. International media have repeatedly reported on Ukrainian Paralympians — frontline veterans and amputees wounded in combat.
The IPC’s decision was the result of votes at the IPC General Assembly in September 2025 to lift partial sanctions on Russia and Belarus. Although the results of the vote were made public, the names of those who voted remained hidden. According to Grod, such anonymity demonstrates a lack of transparency and moral courage.
“When it comes to war, mass casualties, and credible allegations of war crimes, secrecy is unacceptable,” he said.
The WPC called on all National Paralympic Committees and IPC member states to publicly condemn this decision and demand its reversal. At a minimum, according to Grod, Russian and Belarusian athletes should only be allowed to compete without national symbols for as long as the war continues.
