Six Russian and Four Belarusian Athletes Cleared to Compete Under National Flags at Winter Paralympics

Russia and Belarus will have athletes competing under their national flags at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics after the International Paralympic Committee lifted restrictions that had barred them from previous Games.

In total, six Russian and four Belarusian athletes received bipartite commission invitations to participate in Para-alpine skiing, Para-cross country skiing and Para-snowboarding. The IPC confirmed that Russia will field two athletes each in Para-alpine skiing (one male, one female), Para-cross country skiing (one male, one female), and Para-snowboarding (two male athletes). Belarus will compete with four athletes, all in cross-country skiing, comprising one male and three female competitors.

The decision follows the lifting of a broader ban in September, which had been imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus also affected due to its close alliance with Moscow. While a partial ban allowing neutral participation had been in place since 2023, appeals filed by the Russian and Belarusian federations, including a successful challenge to the International Ski Federation at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, cleared the way for athletes to compete under their countries’ flags and accumulate ranking points.

Bipartite commission invitations are awarded to individual athletes who may not have had the opportunity to qualify through conventional channels due to extraordinary circumstances, ensuring top performers can participate despite prior restrictions. Ukraine has also received bipartite slots across three sports.

The decision has drawn criticism from some politicians. Lisa Nandy called it “completely the wrong decision,” arguing that allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their flags while the conflict in Ukraine continues sends the wrong message.

This marks the first time the Russian flag will be displayed at a Paralympic Games since the Sochi 2014 Paralympics, following the country’s state-sponsored doping scandal and the subsequent restrictions after 2022. Among those set to compete are Russian alpine skiing champion Aleksey Bugaev and cross-country skiers Ivan Golubkov and Anastasiia Bagiian, all of whom have returned to competition and claimed recent World Cup titles.

The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics will take place from 6 to 15 March 2026, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete in six sports disciplines. The inclusion of Russian and Belarusian competitors under their national flags represents a controversial but landmark moment in the Games’ history.