Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee reports systemic pressure from IPC at 2026 Paralympics

The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine has reported biased treatment by representatives of the International Paralympic Committee and the Organising Committee towards Ukrainian athletes during the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games.

Source: National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine on their website

Details: The committee noted that in the 30 years of Ukraine's participation in Paralympic competitions, the Ukrainian team has faced such a number of obstacles for the first time.

Quote: "Ukraine's Paralympic team has been taking part in all Summer and Winter Paralympic Games for 30 consecutive years. The team headquarters consists of professional and experienced managers and leaders who are aware of and possess the relevant knowledge of the IPC Constitution and Paralympic procedures.

However, never before have our team and its leadership experienced such openly negative manifestations and even obstacles towards Ukrainians as representatives of a national Paralympic committee that is one of the leaders in developing the Paralympic movement and in achieving results in Paralympic sports."

Details: Among the incidents cited was a demand by the Organising Committee to remove the national flag from the building where the athletes are staying, as well as repeated bans on holding short evening team meetings.

When the team's leadership asked why this had been done and on what specific regulatory grounds, no answer was provided.

Quote: "For more than two days, IPC representatives kept telling us they were considering where the Ukrainian team would be allowed to display the flag on the building where the team is staying. Eventually, the Ukrainian flag was permitted to be placed in a less visible location."

More details: The NPC of Ukraine also drew attention to regular bans on holding brief evening team gatherings.

"Every evening, the team gathers for 10-15 minutes in the common hall of the building where we live together with other teams to briefly sum up the day and define plans for the next day.

Because of this, every day representatives of the Organising Committee and the IPC put pressure on the team and its members, saying that this short meeting is unacceptable, supposedly prohibited by some unspecified document or regulation," the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine said.

During the medal ceremony for champion Oleksandra Kononova, IPC representatives also forced her to remove earrings bearing the anti-war message "Stop War". Earlier, she herself confirmed that she had received remarks from organisers of the 2026 Paralympic Games because of the earrings.

In addition, the organisation reported an incident involving the family of para-biathlon medallist Taras Rad. Their Ukrainian flags and scarves with traditional Ukrainian ornaments were confiscated when they attempted to enter the spectator stands.

Quote: "Overcoming Russian bombardments, the family of Paralympian Taras Rad travelled from Ternopil Oblast to support him in his fight for a winning Ukrainian result and, perhaps, in doing so saved their lives that day from Russia's missile terror.

Taras Rad's family, eight people in total, bought tickets themselves and tried to enter the biathlon spectator stands to see their family member compete for victory.

Representatives of the IPC and the Organising Committee took away the Ukrainian flags from the champion's family. The women in the family also had their traditional Ukrainian scarves confiscated, and it was stated that this was done in accordance with IPC rules."

Details: The Ukrainian side considers these actions a violation of the IPC Constitution and sees them as a sign of leniency towards the Paralympic committees of Russia and Belarus.

The leadership of the Ukrainian committee is demanding that the IPC return to compliance with international law and the fundamental principles of the Paralympic movement.

Quote: "The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine demands that the IPC leadership initiate a process of returning to the provisions of the IPC Constitution and, in line with them, coordinate the activities of the IPC's executive bodies in carrying out their functions at the XIV Winter Paralympic Games."

Background:

• Earlier, IPC President Andrew Parsons said he was ready to allow Russian athletes wounded while fighting against Ukraine to compete based on a democratic decision by the General Assembly to lift the suspension.
• Meanwhile, during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on 6 March in Verona, Italy, spectators booed the appearance of the Russian delegation carrying its flag.

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