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Russian and Belarusian Athletes Barred From 2026 Winter Paralympics Despite IPC Suspension Lift

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Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk
Cyril Barabaltchouk
News Writer
Russian and Belarusian Athletes Barred From 2026 Winter Paralympics Despite IPC Suspension Lift
The logo and signage of the International Paralympic Committee are at the organization’s headquarters in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. (Source: Getty Images)

Russian and Belarusian athletes will not compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, despite the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifting its suspension on both countries, BBC reported on October 23.

While the IPC oversees the Games, the six Paralympic sports are governed by four separate international federations. Three of them—the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), the International Biathlon Union (IBU), and World Curling—have decided to maintain their bans.

Meanwhile, World Para Ice Hockey has already finalized its qualifiers, leaving no room for Russian or Belarusian teams to participate.

Both nations were suspended following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus supporting Moscow’s war effort. Although a partial ban introduced in 2023 allowed athletes to compete as neutrals, IPC members voted last month to lift the suspension entirely, BBC wrote.

IPC President Andrew Parsons said the organization “fully respects” the federations’ independent decisions, noting that the bans effectively make it impossible for Russian and Belarusian athletes to qualify. He added that attention should now turn to the athletes who will compete in Milan and Cortina next March and the “transformational legacies” of the Games.

Previously, it was reported that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has reinstated the full membership rights of the Russian and Belarusian national committees after delegates voted against extending sanctions imposed following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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