Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics to Start With Boycotts Against Russia’s Official Return to Global Sporting Arena

A growing coalition of European nations including France, Ukraine, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic will boycott the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics in Verona's ancient Roman arena on March 5, 2026, protesting the event's marking of Russia's official return to global sporting competitions since the country was banned following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Canada and Britain have also announced they will not attend the ceremony, citing scheduling conflicts rather than political reasons. The boycott comes after the International Paralympics Committee's controversial decision in September 2025 to allocate 10 slots to athletes from Russia and Belarus, which has supported Russia's invasion. Despite Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, the committee permitted Russian athletes to compete under their national flag and anthem, marking a significant shift in the international response to the country's participation in global sporting events. The participating nations argue that allowing Russia to participate with national symbols undermines the values of the Paralympic movement and fails to hold the country accountable for its actions in Ukraine. The ceremony will mark Russia's first official participation in the Paralympics since it hosted the games in Sochi in 2014. The decision to allow Russian return has divided the international sporting community, with some arguing for maintaining unity in the Paralympic movement while others emphasize the importance of political principles in international competitions. The boycott highlights the ongoing tension between sports and politics as nations navigate how to respond to Russia's continued aggression in Ukraine while maintaining the integrity of international sporting events.