The International Paralympic Committee has decided to prohibit the Ukrainian team from using a parade uniform featuring the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine during the Paralympic Games. This was announced by the president of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, Valeriy Sushkevych.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Reasons for the Ban on the Uniform for Ukrainian Paralympians
According to Sushkevych, the uniform prepared for the parade was symbolic and vividly emphasized the integrity of Ukrainian territories. However, the International Paralympic Committee stated that such design is considered political and strictly prohibited the use of this outfit during official events.
“The International Paralympic Committee said: ‘No, no, no – this won’t do!’ They claimed that this uniform is political. They stated that no one would allow us to appear in such a uniform. This uniform was very beautiful, very symbolic, and it loudly ‘screamed’ that Ukraine exists in the world, in Europe, with all its territories free from Russian occupation,” Sushkevych said.
In light of this, a new set of uniforms was quickly produced for the Ukrainian Paralympians and was urgently delivered by bus to Italy, where the national team is already located.
Official Position of the IPC and Boycott of the Opening Ceremony
The International Paralympic Committee justifies its position with internal rules that prohibit texts of anthems, motivational slogans, and any political or national messages on uniforms. The organization emphasizes that such elements contradict the policy of neutrality of the Paralympic Games.
It is worth noting that earlier, the IPC made a controversial decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags. This marked the first such case since 2022, when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, particularly with the support of Belarus.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will take place from March 6 to 15 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Ukrainian team has announced a boycott of the opening ceremony in protest against the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus.