The Nations Boycotting Winter Paralympics Opening Ceremony

Two nations are set to boycott the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Paralympic Games over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Russian athletes have had to compete under neutral flags at the most recent Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2024 and the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina currently.

But that ruling is going to be lifted for the Winter Paralympic Games also in Italy in March. As a result, six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will compete under their nations’ flags at the Games.

Ukraine Sports Minister Slams IPC Decision

The International Paralympic Committee lifted its ban on athletes from the two countries competing at the Games in September but the news that they will be allowed to compete under their own nations’ flags has led to criticism.

And it has led to Ukrainian officials and Polish officials making the decision to boycott the Opening Ceremony. Not only that, but no Ukrainian official will be present for any event at the Games.

In a statement, Ukraine’s sports minister Matvii Bidnyi said: “The flags of Russia and Belarus have no place at international sporting events that stand for fairness, integrity and respect. These are the flags of regimes that have turned sport into a tool of war, lies and contempt.

“When the Russian flag is raised on the international stage, it becomes part of Russia’s propaganda machine. It sends a message to the world that the war is ‘normal’. No, it is not normal.

“It is deeply outrageous that officials of the International Paralympic Committee refuse to understand this.”

Poland’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism said in a statement: “In the face of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in a sports competition using their flags and anthems is absolutely unacceptable.”

The Winter Paralympic Games will be the first time that the Russian national flag has been flown since the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.

The Russian flag and Russian athletes were initially banned from certain competitions due to the country’s state-sponsored doping programme and then latterly following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

UK Government Minister Urges IPC To Reconsider

Belarusian athletes were then stopped from competing under their national flag in 2023, following their association with neighbours Russia.

UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy also condemned the news in a post on social media.

She said: “Allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags while the brutal invasion of Ukraine continues sends a terrible message. The International Paralympic Committee should reconsider this decision urgently.”

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