Paralympics-2026: IPC allows Russian athletes to participate in the Games in Italy.

Russian Paralympians to compete in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo

According to Novyny.live: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has granted the Russian national team the opportunity to participate in the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, which will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. As reported by the President of the Paralympic Committee of Russia, Pavel Rozhkov, the approval has been given to six Russian and four Belarusian athletes through a system of bilateral invitations. This decision marks the return of the Russian team after a period of restrictions.

The delegation consists of well-known athletes from various Paralympic disciplines. Among them are representatives of alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and para-snowboarding. The list includes:

• Aleksey Bugayev — three-time Paralympic champion
• Varvara Voronchikhina — two-time world champion
• Ivan Golubkov — multiple world champion

Public discussion around the admission

The IPC's decision has caused a mixed reaction in the international community. Vladislav Geraskevich, commenting on the situation, expressed serious concern:

'The Russian Paralympic team includes former military personnel. So yesterday they were killing Ukrainians in Ukraine, and tomorrow they will continue to do so, spreading Russian propaganda at the international level. We must not allow this.' - Vladislav Geraskevich

Thus, the issue of the participation of Russian athletes in the 2026 Paralympics has already become a subject of heated debate, touching on the ethical aspects of international sports. Such decisions in the context of an ongoing conflict call into question the principles of neutrality and fairness established in the Olympic movement. The situation demonstrates how the sports arena is increasingly becoming a space for political discussions and contradictions, which may impact the atmosphere of the Games themselves.