In a controversial “watershed moment,” Russia and Belarus will return to the Winter Paralympics this Friday, competing under their own national flags and anthems for the first time in over a decade.
Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling have cleared the way for 10 athletes—six from Russia and four from Belarus—to compete via “wildcard” invitations.
Unlike the recent Winter Olympics, where athletes competed as neutrals, these competitors will use full national symbols.
IPC members voted against a total ban, arguing that sport should remain a “neutral ground” separate from the actions of governments.
Ukraine, along with officials from the UK, Italy, Poland, and the Baltic states, has condemned the move. Ukrainian athletes and several European officials will boycott Friday’s opening ceremony in Verona.
This move signals a potential end to Russia’s global sporting exile. Leaders in FIFA and the IOC have recently hinted at similar reinstatements, suggesting that long-term bans have “not achieved anything” and that focus should return to athlete inclusion.
However, opposition remains fierce. Global Athlete and the Ukrainian sports ministry point to the 650+ Ukrainian athletes killed in the conflict as reason enough to maintain the exile until the war ends.
