International Paralympic Committee Permits Russian, Belarusian Athletes To Compete Under National Banners: Report

Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 21:59 IST

A partial suspension had been in place since 2023, allowing athletes to compete only as neutrals, replacing a complete ban imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion.

A report from AFP said that the International Paralympic Committee has permitted six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at the 2026 Paralympics in Milan-Cortina, the Games’ governing body confirmed to AFP on Tuesday. The IPC informed AFP that the athletes would be treated like those from any other country.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus had been prohibited from competing under their flags since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and in a surprising move, the IPC lifted its suspension on Russian and Belarusian athletes during its general assembly in September.

Previously, a partial suspension had been in place since 2023, allowing athletes to compete only as neutrals, replacing a complete ban imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Athletes from both nations have been allowed to accumulate ranking points since Russia and Belarus won an appeal against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in December.

The Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) has been granted six wildcards for the upcoming games, securing spots in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.

The participants have been selected, with the RPC announcing three-time alpine skiing gold medallist Alexey Bugaev among the competitors.

Russia was allotted two slots in alpine skiing, two in cross-country skiing, and two in snowboarding, while all four Belarusian slots are in cross-country skiing, with both male and female athletes participating from both nations.

(With Inputs From AFP)

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