The Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics officially kicks off Friday in Verona’s ancient Roman arena, but not everyone is cheering. A growing number of countries are boycotting the opening ceremony in protest of Russia’s first official return to global Paralympic competition since being banned over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) allocated 10 slots to athletes from Russia and Belarus last September, letting them use national flags and anthems despite Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. This will mark Russia’s first official Paralympic appearance since hosting the Sochi Games in 2014, reports Variety.
France joined the boycott this week, following Ukraine, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Canada and Britain said they won’t attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts, as their Alpine skiing athletes compete the next day, more than 150 miles from Verona. Germany will participate only through a prerecorded segment, skipping the Parade of Nations.
Further disruptions could come from global events. US-Israeli strikes on Iran may affect travel for delegations, though both Iran and Israel have only one athlete each competing in 2026.
The Paralympics run over 12 days across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Tesero, and Verona, featuring 665 athletes from more than 50 countries competing in six sports: wheelchair curling, sled hockey, snowboard, biathlon, and Alpine and cross-country skiing. This is the first Winter Paralympics hosted across multiple cities, following the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said its 29 member broadcasters and licensees will deliver the largest free-to-air coverage in Paralympic history across 27 European territories. Eurovision Sport, the EBU’s free streaming platform, will provide live and on-demand coverage of all six sports.
Warner Bros. Discovery will broadcast daily highlights across Europe, while Channel 4 will provide free coverage in the UK. Peacock is streaming the Games in the US, including all 79 medal events.
Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT will not air the opening ceremony, and Polish broadcaster TVP will avoid showing Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Parade of Nations, echoing the political standoff surrounding the Games.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) allocated 10 slots to athletes from Russia and Belarus last September, letting them use national flags and anthems despite Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. This will mark Russia’s first official Paralympic appearance since hosting the Sochi Games in 2014, reports Variety.
France joined the boycott this week, following Ukraine, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Canada and Britain said they won’t attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts, as their Alpine skiing athletes compete the next day, more than 150 miles from Verona. Germany will participate only through a prerecorded segment, skipping the Parade of Nations.
Further disruptions could come from global events. US-Israeli strikes on Iran may affect travel for delegations, though both Iran and Israel have only one athlete each competing in 2026.
The Paralympics run over 12 days across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Tesero, and Verona, featuring 665 athletes from more than 50 countries competing in six sports: wheelchair curling, sled hockey, snowboard, biathlon, and Alpine and cross-country skiing. This is the first Winter Paralympics hosted across multiple cities, following the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said its 29 member broadcasters and licensees will deliver the largest free-to-air coverage in Paralympic history across 27 European territories. Eurovision Sport, the EBU’s free streaming platform, will provide live and on-demand coverage of all six sports.
Warner Bros. Discovery will broadcast daily highlights across Europe, while Channel 4 will provide free coverage in the UK. Peacock is streaming the Games in the US, including all 79 medal events.
Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT will not air the opening ceremony, and Polish broadcaster TVP will avoid showing Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Parade of Nations, echoing the political standoff surrounding the Games.
