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Russia and Belarus are barred from the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, as IPC and sports federations uphold bans following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
(Credit: X)
Russian and Belarusian athletes will not take part in the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, even as neutral competitors, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed on Thursday.
The decision follows consultations with international sports federations and effectively shuts the door on both nations’ participation in Milano-Cortina 2026.
Both Russia and Belarus were banned from Paralympic competition after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though their national Paralympic committees regained full IPC membership rights last month when the organization voted to lift their partial suspensions. Belarus, notably, served as a key staging area for the invasion.
Federations Stand Firm
While the IPC restored membership rights, the final say on athlete participation lies with individual international federations — and most have opted to keep restrictions in place.
“The IPC fully respects the decisions of each international federation regarding the sports they govern,” IPC President Andrew Parsons said in a statement.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) voted earlier this week to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes from qualification events for both the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Similarly, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) has maintained its suspension of both nations, and World Curling has extended their exclusion until at least the end of the 2024–25 season.
No Route to Qualification
These decisions mean that neither Russia nor Belarus can qualify for the Milano-Cortina Games. Although both countries can technically compete in Para ice hockey, neither is participating in the upcoming qualification tournament.
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 6–15, marking the first Winter Paralympics since 2022 — but without Russian or Belarusian representation once again.
(with Reuters inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
October 23, 2025, 10:32 PM IST
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