International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons confirmed at a press conference in Milan that the decision regarding the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus to the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games is final. They will be able to compete under their national flags.
This is reported by Finway
Confirmation of the IPC General Assembly’s Decision
Parsons emphasized that the decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus was made by the IPC General Assembly after several hearings in 2022, 2023, and 2025. The organization adheres to democratic procedures, and no body, including the president or the council, has the authority to overturn this decision.
“We are a very democratic organization. This issue was brought to various hearings of the General Assembly in 2022, 2023, and 2025, and each time the General Assembly made a decision, we adhered to it. This decision cannot be overturned by the council or by me,” Parsons stated.
Position on the Opening Ceremony and Boycott
The IPC Chair added that the committee has no legal grounds to prevent athletes from Russia and Belarus from attending the opening ceremony if they wish to do so. In this regard, Parsons urged national Paralympic committees considering a boycott of the ceremony to reconsider their intentions. At the same time, he emphasized that the organization respects different viewpoints and will not impose sanctions on those who choose not to participate in the festivities.
Separately, the IPC President noted that dialogue with the Italian government is ongoing, and the committee is aware that some Italian officials have publicly expressed disagreement with the decision to allow Russians and Belarusians. However, according to Parsons, the main goal of the decision is to protect the rights of athletes and create the best conditions for their participation in the competitions.
Ukraine has officially announced that it will skip the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games due to the admission of Russians and Belarusians with national symbols.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from March 6 to 15, where 79 sets of medals will be contested.