Seven European countries and the British government will boycott the opening ceremony of the upcoming Winter Paralympics in protest against the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed that Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine will not send athletes or officials to the ceremony scheduled for Friday evening.
The event will take place at the historic Arena di Verona in Italy, a Roman amphitheatre nearly 2,000 years old.
UK government also declines representation
The United Kingdom government confirmed it would not send official representatives to the ceremony, reiterating its opposition to Russian and Belarusian participation in international sport while the war in Ukraine continues.
In a statement, the government said Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in global sporting events while the “full-scale invasion of Ukraine” remains ongoing.
However, the UK’s minister for sport, Stephanie Peacock, will still travel to Cortina d’Ampezzo to support the ParalympicsGB athletes competing at the Games.
Several other nations, including Britain, have also indicated they will not send full delegations to the ceremony due to the tight schedule before competitions begin. The IPC estimates that fewer than 60% of participating countries will be represented in full during the opening event.
IPC defends decision on Russian participation
Andrew Parsons, president of the IPC, defended the decision to allow Russian athletes to compete under their national flag for the first time since 2014.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus had previously been banned from the 2022 Winter Paralympics following the invasion of Ukraine.
Parsons said the organization’s priority remains delivering a successful event while supporting athletes from around the world.
“Our clear focus remains on supporting all stakeholders arriving and preparing to deliver the best Paralympic Winter Games,” he said, adding that the event should continue serving as a platform for social change for the world’s 1.3 billion people living with disabilities.
Largest Winter Paralympics yet
Despite the diplomatic tensions surrounding the Games, the upcoming edition is expected to be the largest in the event’s history.
Around 612 athletes from 56 countries are expected to compete, compared with 474 athletes from 38 nations when Italy last hosted the Winter Paralympics in 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin.
The 2026 edition, officially known as the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, will be spread across several locations in northern Italy, including Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and the municipality of Tesero.
Organizers say the geographic scale of the Games – combined with record athlete participation – will make the event one of the most ambitious Paralympic competitions ever staged.
