Ukraine officials announced boycott of Winter Paralympics over Russian athletes
Matvii Bidnyi (photo: RBC-Ukraine)
The Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Matvii Bidnyi, sharply condemned the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to allow symbols of aggressor nations at the 2026 Winter Games. Official Kyiv announced a boycott of all ceremonial events at the upcoming Paralympics, according to the minister’s Facebook account.
“Weapon of war”: the position of the Ministry of Youth and Sports
The IPC has found itself at the center of a major scandal after deciding to allow representatives from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags at the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Ukraine’s minister expressed categorical outrage at the actions of the international officials.
According to Bidnyi, granting the right to use state symbols of aggressor countries is an attempt to legitimize war crimes through sports.
“Symbols of Russia and Belarus have no right to appear at tournaments based on principles of fairness and respect. These regimes have turned athletics into a tool of propaganda and contempt,” the minister stressed.
He also noted that in Russia, the Paralympic movement has become a specific platform for supporting people injured during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to the official, raising the Russian flag on the world stage sends a signal to society that aggression is acceptable.
Boycott and sanctions against the IPC decision
In response to the actions of the IPC General Assembly, where the majority of delegates (91 votes to 77) supported the full reinstatement of the Russian Paralympic Committee, Ukraine is taking decisive measures:
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Official boycott: Ukrainian officials will not attend the 2026 Paralympic Games.
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Diplomatic demarche: Ukraine’s representatives will be absent from the opening ceremony and other official events.
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International coordination: Ukraine calls on partners from the free world to join in ignoring the protocol events of the Games.
The future of the 2026 Paralympics
The Winter Games are scheduled to take place from March 6 to 15, 2026, in Italy.
Despite allowing ten athletes from aggressor countries to compete under their national flags, Ukraine promises to continue exerting pressure on international platforms to prevent the Kremlin from fully politicizing sports.
Matvii Bidnyi urged IPC leadership to reconsider its position and show courage by banning hostile symbols before the competitions begin.
Earlier, we reported that Oleh Handei advanced to the short-track quarterfinals at the 2026 Olympics despite a fall.
