Day Six of the 2026 Paralympics: Ukrainian Athletes Remain Absent, Awaiting Their Return

Competition Day at the Winter Paralympics

According to Главком: The sixth day of competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo is underway on March 12. The schedule features events in para alpine skiing, wheelchair curling, and para ice hockey. For the sixth consecutive day, however, no Ukrainian athletes are participating in the events.

Event Schedule for March 12

The competition schedule for March 12 includes several key events:

• At 9:00, the first run of the women's giant slalom for athletes with vision or physical impairments begins. The second run is scheduled for 12:30.
• At 13:35, mixed-team wheelchair curling matches will take place, featuring the following matchups:
  • Canada vs. South Korea
  • China vs. Sweden
  • Norway vs. United States
  • Italy vs. Latvia
• At 14:35, a para ice hockey classification game between Slovakia and Germany begins.
• At 18:35, another round of wheelchair curling matches will see:
  • China face Slovakia
  • Norway take on Great Britain
  • Canada compete against the United States
• The competition day concludes with a match between Italy and Japan at 19:05.

While Ukraine is not competing on March 12, a Ukrainian athlete is scheduled to start in the giant slalom the following day, March 13. It is important to note that Ukraine is not fielding teams in the team sports at these Games.

The report also mentions an incident involving the family of a Ukrainian champion who traveled from Ternopil. They purchased tickets and entered the stadium wearing Ukrainian attire and carrying a Ukrainian flag. They were stopped, and their flag and a patterned scarf were confiscated before officials apologized and allowed them onto the stadium grounds. Valeriy Sushkevych, President of the National Sports Committee for the Disabled of Ukraine, shared this incident, emphasizing that such situations require attention.

“Situations like this require attention.” - Valeriy Sushkevych

Thus, March 12, 2026, remains a significant day of competition in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, despite the continued absence of Ukrainian athletes. The Paralympics are a powerful platform for resilience and global unity. The flag incident underscores the heightened sensitivity surrounding national identity and support, a particularly poignant issue for Ukrainians given the ongoing context. Despite the team's absence, hopes remain high for the success of Ukrainian athletes, and their participation in upcoming events is eagerly anticipated by sports fans.