The Russian flag returned at the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in Verona, marking the first time since the invasion of Ukraine that Russian and Belarusian athletes marched under their national colors. Sections of the crowd remained silent as the delegations entered the Arena di Verona, while volunteers carrying the Ukrainian flag were met with loud applause.
The ceremony officially launched the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics and coincided with the fiftieth anniversary of the Games. Inside the Arena di Verona, a Roman amphitheatre more than two thousand years old, music, dance, and visual displays formed the backdrop as delegations from around the world entered the stadium.
Russia and Belarus appeared in the parade of nations with their flags clearly visible. The Russian flag had not been seen at a Paralympic Games since Sochi 2014, when a state-sponsored doping scandal first triggered restrictions. Sanctions following the war in Ukraine extended the ban.
Reaction in the arena was muted when the Russian athletes marched in. Applause was limited, though members of the delegation waved flags and cheered. Minutes later, volunteers carrying the Ukrainian flag received strong applause from the audience.
Seven nations, including Finland, joined Ukraine in boycotting the ceremony in protest of Russia and Belarus’ participation. Canadian and several European athletes also abstained from attending. Ukrainian athletes remained outside the arena and participated instead in a televised event organized in Kyiv.
The International Paralympic Committee allowed six Russian athletes to compete in alpine skiing, cross country skiing, and snowboarding. Four Belarusian athletes were invited to take part in cross country skiing. Without these special invitations, athletes from both nations would not have been allowed to compete. Earlier restrictions by international sports federations still blocked Russian and Belarusian athletes from qualification events in several disciplines.
Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, addressed the ceremony without directly referencing political disputes. He emphasized the role of sport during conflict. Parsons said, “Four years ago I said I was horrified at what was happening in the world. The situation has not improved. In a world where countries are known by the names of their leaders, I prefer to know them by the names of their athletes.” He added, “Sport offers another perspective. Here athletes compete with ferocity but respect for each other and the rules of sport.”
The opening unfolded against a backdrop of wider international tensions. Missile strikes in the Middle East disrupted travel to Italy in the days before the Games. Despite these disruptions, athletes from the United States and Israel remain eligible to compete. A joint US-Israeli strike on Iran during the period of the Olympic Truce, a non-binding United Nations resolution, did not result in disciplinary action, as the truce is aspirational and the Olympic Charter focuses on compliance with sport regulations rather than government military actions.
The conflict prevented Iran’s only competitor, cross country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, from traveling to Italy due to regional air travel disruptions. Meanwhile, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has drawn allegations of war crimes, intensifying calls to suspend Israeli participation in international sports. In 2024, the IOC maintained that Israel had not violated the Olympic Charter because it did not interfere with Palestinian sporting bodies.
More than 660 athletes from 56 nations are registered for the Games. Competitors will take part in six sports, including alpine skiing, cross country skiing, biathlon, snowboarding, wheelchair curling, and para ice hockey. Events will be held across the Italian Alps until 15 March.
The opening ceremony concluded with the lighting of two Paralympic flames, one in Milan and one in Cortina, signaling the official start of competition. Events began the following morning with alpine skiing for visually impaired athletes, while wheelchair curling matches commenced the round robin stage earlier in the day.
