Winter Paralympics: Germany joins 10 teams boycotting opening parade over Russia
Paralympic Games 2026 (photo: Getty Images)
The German Paralympic team has officially refused to participate in the parade of nations in protest against the inclusion of athletes from Russia and Belarus. The team expressed solidarity with Ukraine and will skip the opening ceremony in Verona, according to the official website of the German Sports Association for People with Disabilities.
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Reason for the boycott
Germany’s main objection is the IPC’s decision to grant wild cards to Russian and Belarusian athletes. Despite the ongoing war against Ukraine, competitors from these countries were allowed to compete under their national flags.
The German delegation emphasized that the protest is an act of support for Ukrainian athletes, who had previously called on the international community to boycott the event.
Official statement
The German organization said the decision was made collectively to balance sports preparation with moral principles.
“Against this backdrop, we have jointly decided that the German team at the Paralympic Games will not participate in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony in Verona. This decision serves to focus on the upcoming competitions and respectfully express solidarity with the Ukrainian delegation. The German team will participate in the pre-recorded video footage shown during the opening ceremony as planned. In doing so, the team is combining its focus on sporting results with a clear, value-based position”, the statement reads.
Scale of the boycott
The inclusion of 10 Russian and Belarusian athletes has sparked outrage among participants. Ukraine was the first to announce it would skip the opening ceremony in Verona.
As of March 4, Germany has become the 11th national team to support Ukraine’s initiative officially.
The ceremony is scheduled for March 6, but many leading European delegations will be absent.
