The UK Government has announced it will boycott the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Paralympics in protest at the return of Russian and Belarusian flags. The decision follows the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) approval for athletes from both nations to compete under their own flags for the first time since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Friday's opening ceremony at Milan-Cortina will mark the first time Russian and Belarusian flags have appeared at a major international sporting event since February 2022. Ukraine was the first country to announce a boycott, joined by Poland, Germany, Finland, and now the UK.
A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We strongly oppose the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. We have been clear that the Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in international sport while the barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine is ongoing.'
No government ministers or officials will attend the ceremonies, but the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock, will be in Cortina to support ParalympicsGB athletes. The spokesperson added: 'They have worked tirelessly over the last four years to be ready for the biggest moment of their sporting lives and deserve to have the nation behind them.'
Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes have been permitted to compete under their national flags, the first time since the 2014 Sochi Paralympics that Russian athletes have done so.
