Seven countries to boycott Milan-Cortina Paralympics opening ceremony over Russia participation

Organisers of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics have confirmed that seven countries will boycott the opening ceremony in protest against Russian athletes being allowed to compete under their national flag for the first time since 2014.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced last month that six Russian athletes and four competitors from Belarus would be permitted to take part in the Games while representing their countries rather than competing as neutral athletes.

The decision sparked criticism from several nations, particularly Ukraine, which has strongly opposed Russia’s participation since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia and Belarus were previously banned from the 2022 Winter Paralympics, although their athletes later returned as neutral competitors at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.

Speaking at a press conference in Cortina d’Ampezzo, IPC communications officer Craig Spence confirmed that seven National Paralympic Committees had decided to skip the opening ceremony for political reasons.

The countries boycotting the ceremony are Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine.

“We respect that decision,” Spence said, adding that reports had suggested varying numbers of boycotting nations, ranging from seven to as many as fifteen.

The opening ceremony will take place at the historic Verona Arena in Verona, which is located some distance from the main competition venues of Cortina, Val di Fiemme and Milan.

Meanwhile, several countries including Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, and France will also not have athletes attending the ceremony, but the IPC clarified that this was due to sporting priorities rather than a political boycott.

According to Spence, many teams chose to remain close to their competition bases as events such as alpine skiing are scheduled to begin early on Saturday morning.

He added that several nations had already informed the IPC last year that they might not attend the ceremony due to logistical challenges and the need to focus on athletic preparation.

To ensure representation during the opening ceremony, the IPC said a number of countries have submitted short 12-second video clips featuring their athletes, which will be incorporated into the event.