Controversy Simmers As Ukraine, Russia Compete At Winter Paralympics
- By RFE/RL
Ukraine's Paralympians have accused the International Paralympic Committee of unfair treatment as the Russian team competes under its own flag at the games for the first time since 2014.
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Members of the Ukrainian paralympic team (left) seen near Russian athletes during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games on March 10.
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Russia's Varvara Voronchikhina of Russia celebrates winning silver in a slalom skiing event on March 12.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has allowed Russian athletes to compete under their country's flag at the games for the first time since 2014.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has allowed Russian athletes to compete under their country's flag at the games for the first time since 2014.
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Ukraine's Romana Lobasheva competes during the women's para cross-country skiing on March 11.
Ukraine's Paralympians have accused the IPC of putting their team under "systemic pressure" during the games.
Ukraine's Paralympians have accused the IPC of putting their team under "systemic pressure" during the games.
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Among other complaints, the Ukrainian team on March 11 detailed how bronze medalist Oleksandra Kononova (pictured) was made to remove earrings with the message "Stop War."
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Russia's Dmitrii Fadeev competes in the snowboard cross event on March 8.
A representative from the games' organizing committee responded to the Ukrainian statement, saying "we are supremely empathetic with the situation the Ukrainian people face right now but no matter how many Games the nation has competed at, that doesn’t give them a green light to break the rules."
A representative from the games' organizing committee responded to the Ukrainian statement, saying "we are supremely empathetic with the situation the Ukrainian people face right now but no matter how many Games the nation has competed at, that doesn’t give them a green light to break the rules."
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A variant of the Russian flag being waved during a victory ceremony for a cross-country skiing event on March 11.
The Ukrainian team has also complained that the family of one of their paralympians were made to hand over flags and scarves during a medal ceremony. Organizers alleged some of those items featured text which venue security "could not verify the meaning of."
The Ukrainian team has also complained that the family of one of their paralympians were made to hand over flags and scarves during a medal ceremony. Organizers alleged some of those items featured text which venue security "could not verify the meaning of."
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An unidentified competitor heads down a slalom track on March 9.
The Olympic Charter states that “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
The Olympic Charter states that “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
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A member of the Ukrainian paralympic team passes Russian skiing gold medalists Anastasia Bagiian and Sergei Siniakin after the pair won gold on March 10.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics opened on March 6 and will run until March 15.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics opened on March 6 and will run until March 15.
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An unidentified rider competes during the snowboard cross event on March 8.
Iran was scheduled to send one athlete to compete in the cross-country skiing event at the games, but the competitor was forced to withdraw amid travel safety concerns due to the ongoing war in Iran.
Iran was scheduled to send one athlete to compete in the cross-country skiing event at the games, but the competitor was forced to withdraw amid travel safety concerns due to the ongoing war in Iran.
