Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiga expressed gratitude to the Finnish Paralympic Committee and its chairwoman Sari Rautio for the decision not to participate in the opening ceremony and other official events of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Reaction to the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus
Sybiga emphasized that the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus under their national flags is unacceptable, immoral, and a disgraceful practice. The minister urged representatives of all countries to refrain from attending the ceremonies of the Games, as the display of symbols of states whose actions are associated with war crimes and aggression contradicts the principles of peace, human dignity, and self-respect.
“The admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national symbols is unacceptable, immoral, and disgraceful. We reiterate our call to officials of all countries to refrain from participating in the ceremony. Observing flags associated with hundreds of thousands of war crimes, aggressive war, and genocide at an event aimed at promoting peace violates basic human dignity and self-respect.”
Earlier this week, Sybiga reported that eight countries and the European Union have already confirmed an official boycott of the opening ceremony of the 2026 Paralympics due to the decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national symbols.
Italy’s position and that of international organizations
Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi publicly criticized the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian and Belarusian symbols at the Games in Milan. The Italian government expressed its categorical disagreement with the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus under their national flags and called on the IPC to reconsider its decision.
On February 17, the IPC announced that six Russian and four Belarusian athletes would be allowed to participate in the 2026 Paralympics under their national flags. According to the committee’s statement, they will be treated “the same as representatives of any other country.”
Ukrainian Youth and Sports Minister Matviy Bidny stated that Ukrainian officials would boycott the competitions in response to this decision.
The Winter Paralympic Games in Milan will take place from March 6 to March 15, 2026. Following the onset of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022, athletes from Russia and Belarus could only compete as “neutral” participants at the Olympic Games.