The inclusion of six Russian and four Belarusian athletes, able to compete under their national flag and in their country’s colours, at the 2026 Winter Paralympics has caused uproar, with seven nations – including Ukraine – opting to boycott Friday’s opening ceremony in Verona.
Earlier on Friday, IPC president Andrew Parsons told BBC Sport that Russian soldiers injured in the war with Ukraine will be allowed to compete at future Paralympic Games.
An investigation by Poland-based news outlet Vot Tak, as reported by the Moscow Times,, external found Russia is fast-tracking injured soldiers into Para-sport.
The Russian Paralympic Committee has reportedly said that “at least 70” veterans are now competing in national teams.
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych, who was disqualified from last month’s Winter Olympics because he wished to compete wearing a helmet featuring images of Ukrainian athletes killed during the Russian invasion, later responded to the BBC’s interview with Parsons on X.
“The head of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) literally stated that they don’t care about what Russian soldiers did in Ukraine. The problem is that we do care,” he said.
“They are killing Ukrainians on the battlefield, bombing our cities, and committing genocide. Now, with this step of allowing them to compete, the IPC is giving them the opportunity to continue committing genocide by spreading Russian narratives with Russian flags and symbols.
“This whole story is just getting worse and worse.”
The IPC did not wish to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.
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