Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics to start with icy blast as Ukraine lead ceremony boycott
Several countries to skip ceremony in Verona in protest against decision to let Russian, Belarusian athletes compete under their flags
The Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics start on Friday, but the atmosphere at the opening ceremony has been dampened by Ukraine leading a boycott against the presence of a handful of Russian competitors in the competition.
Ukraine’s team will skip the ceremony in Verona in protest against the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete under their respective national flags rather than as neutrals.
Russia and Belarus had been banned from the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing following the invasion of Ukraine, although they were permitted to compete as neutral athletes in the Paris Summer Paralympics two years later.
Valeriy Sushkevych, president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, said although he was furious at the decision, boycotting the entire competition would be counterproductive.
“If we do not go, it would mean allowing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to claim a victory over Ukrainian Paralympians and over Ukraine by excluding us from the Games. That will not happen!” the 71-year-old said last month.
The Ukrainians will be joined in their boycott of the ceremony by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Poland.