IPC Ends Russia, Belarus Ban; Flags Could Return At 2026 Paralympics

(Credit: X)

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) voted on Saturday to lift the partial suspension of Russia and Belarus that had been in place since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The decision, announced at the IPC’s General Assembly in Seoul, restores both nations’ full membership rights and privileges. It also raises the prospect of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics—although participation will ultimately depend on international sports federations, many of which continue to enforce bans.

IPC Statement and Next Steps

“This decision means NPC (National Paralympic Committee) Belarus and NPC Russia now regain their full rights and privileges of IPC membership,” the IPC said in a statement.

The body added: “The IPC will work with the two members involved to put practical arrangements in place for this as soon as reasonably possible.”

To be eligible, athletes must hold an active licence for the 2025/26 season from their international federations in para alpine skiing, para cross-country skiing, para snowboarding, para biathlon, para ice hockey, and wheelchair curling—the six sports on the Milan-Cortina programme.

Reaction To The Decision

The Russian Paralympic Committee welcomed the move as “a fair decision” and “an example of how athletes’ rights should be protected without discrimination on national or political grounds.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine reacted with anger. Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi condemned the outcome, saying those who supported the motion had betrayed “their conscience and the Olympic values.”

“We call on our European partners, who will host the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games, not to allow the flag of the aggressor state to be raised over the free and democratic space while the war of aggression continues,” Bidnyi said.

He stressed that Ukraine’s “decision on whether to participate will be made collectively at a later stage.”

Historical Context: No Flag Since 2014

The Russian flag has not appeared at the Paralympic Games since the 2014 Sochi Games.

• 2016 Rio: Russia was suspended due to a state-sponsored doping scandal.
• 2018 Pyeongchang and 2021 Tokyo: Athletes competed only under a neutral banner.
• 2022 Beijing: Both Russia and Belarus were barred outright following the invasion of Ukraine.
• 2023: The IPC General Assembly opted for a partial suspension.
• 2024: A limited number of Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete at the Paris Summer Paralympics, but only under a neutral flag and strict neutrality conditions.

IOC’s Position

The IPC’s latest move comes just over a week after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) authorised Russian and Belarusian participation in Milan-Cortina under similar neutrality conditions.

For 2026, the size of the delegations will depend on international federations, which oversee qualification processes, and many still exclude Russian and Belarusian competitors altogether.

(with AFP inputs)