Polish government to boycott Paralympics opening ceremony over Russian, Belarusian athletes

Poland’s sports ministry has said its representatives will not attend next month’s opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in Italy after Russian and Belarusian athletes were allowed to compete under their national flags and anthems.

Photo:

EPA/TERESA SUAREZ

The ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that "in the face of the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine,” participation by athletes from Russia and Belarus “using their national symbols” was “absolutely unacceptable.”

W związku z dopuszczeniem przez Międzynarodowy Komitet Paralimpijski rosyjskich i białoruskich sportowców do startu w XIV Zimowych Igrzyskach Paralimpijskich w Mediolanie i Cortinie d’Ampezzo z wykorzystaniem ich symboli narodowych, przedstawiciele Ministerstwa Sportu i Turystyki…

— Ministerstwo Sportu i Turystyki (@SPORT_GOV_PL) February 18, 2026

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday that the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors to take part under their national flags at the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics was "morally and politically" wrong.

Sybiha said he had instructed Ukrainian ambassadors to urge authorities in their host countries not to attend the opening ceremony "if this disgraceful decision is not reversed."

Allowing the flags of aggressor states to be raised at the Paralympic Games while Russia’s war against Ukraine rages on is wrong — morally and politically.

The decision to admit Russia and Belarus under national symbols ignores a simple truth: these flags and anthems represent…

— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) February 18, 2026

The Winter Paralympics are scheduled to take place from March 6 to 15.

Poland is set to send a team of more than a dozen athletes to the Games.

(gs)

Source: PAP