The participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2026 Paralympic Games
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) responded to a request from 'Glavkom' regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2026 Paralympic Games. The Council of the International Ski Federation (FIS) voted against the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the Olympic and Paralympic qualifying competitions.
In the event of their admission to the competitions, they would have the opportunity to participate with their own symbolism, flag, and anthem. IPC's public relations director Craig Spence noted that a decision on this will be made soon.
Exclusion from qualifying competitions
The FIS Council voted against admitting athletes with individual neutral status (AIN) to the qualifying competitions for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan. This decision deprives Russians and Belarusians of the last opportunity to qualify for the Winter Paralympics under the current rules.
The situation regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2026 Paralympic Games remains tense. A decision about their admission to future competitions has not yet been made, so the IPC's judging committee intends to take time to reflect on the situation and determine further steps.