Seven countries have announced a boycott of the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina in protest against the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
According to the International Paralympic Committee, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine will not send athletes or officials to the ceremony scheduled for March 6.
The opening event is set to take place at the historic Arena di Verona, an amphitheatre nearly 2,000 years old.
The boycott is a protest against the decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the Games following the invasion of Ukraine. After the invasion, both countries were banned from the 2022 Paralympics.
The IPC said six Russian athletes and four from Belarus will compete in the 2026 Games, marking the first participation for Russians since 2014. They will compete under their national flags rather than as neutral athletes.
IPC communications officer Craig Spence said during a press conference in Cortina d'Ampezzo that several National Paralympic Committees had chosen not to attend the ceremony for political reasons.
“You will have seen also in the last 10 days news of some National Paralympic Committees who have decided not to come for political reasons,” Spence said, adding that the confirmed list includes seven countries.
The IPC said some other countries may also have a limited presence at the ceremony, but insisted those decisions were made to prioritise athletic performance rather than political protest.
Around 612 athletes from 56 countries are expected to compete in events across Milan and Cortina, making the Games one of the largest Winter Paralympics in terms of geographic scale.