Paralympic Committee lifts ban on Russian athletes ahead of 2026 Games
2026 Olympic Games (photo: Getty Images)
Six Russian and four Belarusian para-athletes have been granted the right to compete at the 2026 Paralympics under their national flags, according to BBC Sport.
Ten athletes receive invitations: details of eligibility
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officially confirmed the participation of ten representatives from Russia and Belarus in the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
The athletes received special invitations from a bilateral commission.
According to published data, the quota distribution is as follows:
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Russia (6 quotas): two spots each in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.
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Belarus (4 quotas): all licenses allocated exclusively for cross-country skiing.
Return of national symbols
This decision marks a precedent, as Russian athletes will appear at the Paralympic Games under their national flag for the first time since 2014.
Previously, they were stripped of this right, initially due to large-scale doping violations, and since 2022 due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
After a period of complete isolation, the IPC initially softened the sanctions to “neutral athletes” status, but recent updates indicate the ban on using national symbols has effectively been lifted.
Role of the Court of Arbitration for Sport
A key stage on the road to the athletes' return occurred in December 2025.
At that time, Russia and Belarus successfully appealed the International Ski Federation's decision to the CAS.
The arbitration victory allowed them to earn ranking points again and participate in qualification events.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will be hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with competitions running from March 6 to 15.
Earlier, we reported how Oleh Handei reached the short track quarterfinals at the 2026 Olympics despite a fall.
