The Italian government is opposed to Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their respective flags and anthems at the 14th Winter Paralympic Games, which will be held from March 6 to 15, after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics.
A joint statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and Minister of Sports and Youth Andrea Abodi was published on the Italian Foreign Ministry website. The ministers expressed full solidarity and support for Ukraine and called on the International Paralympic Committee to reconsider this decision.
Russia and Belarus were suspended from the Paralympic Games after Russiaʼs invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A partial ban was introduced in 2023, allowing athletes to compete in neutral status.
In September 2025, the IPC lifted the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from the Games. However, the four international federations responsible for all six sports at the Winter Paralympics decided to maintain their restrictions.
But in December, Russia and Belarus won an appeal against the International Ski Federation and Snowboarding Federation at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing their athletes to compete and earn ranking points. Six Russian athletes (for the first time under their flag since 2014) and four Belarusians will go to the Paralympics.
34 countries and the European Commission expressed disagreement with the IPC decision. Ukrainian Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidnyi stated that Ukrainian officials will boycott the Winter Paralympics.
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