The 2026 Paralympics in Milan and Cortina have ended after 79 medal events. China topped the medal table by a wide margin. Russia competed at the Winter Games under its own flag and anthem for the first time since 2014, and that decision became one of the main sources of tension around the tournament.
Even before the opening, at least 14 countries had announced a boycott of the official ceremony. On the evening of March 6, nine more teams joined Ukraine’s protest: Austria, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Estonia. Volunteers carried their flags around the stadium. Officials from the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands did attend. Iran’s only athlete was also absent from the opening: the Iranian team did not travel to Italy because war had broken out in the country.
Russia was represented at the ceremony by two athletes and two delegation members. According to France 24, boos could be heard from the stands as the Russian team entered the stadium. At the same time, a journalist from Match TV reported support from spectators, while Russian Paralympic Committee head Pavel Rozhkov said that after a pause, a wave of approval spread through the arena.
Ukraine’s complaints and the IPC response
Ukrainian para-biathlete Oleksandra Kononova was warned before a medal ceremony over blue-and-yellow earrings reading Stop War, which organizers said did not comply with regulations. At her next start, she wore earrings with the word Love instead. The Ukrainian side also reported objections to the image of the country’s map on the ceremonial uniform, the placement of the national flag at the team’s accommodation, and bans on short group meetings in the lobby.
“We understand the situation the Ukrainian people are in, but that sympathy does not extend to allowing the Paralympic Committee of Ukraine to break the rules under which these Games are held,” IPC spokesperson Craig Spence said.
On March 11, Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee and the national team issued a joint statement, arguing that the situation suggested a special partnership between the IPC and the Russian and Belarusian committees. The IPC replied that it was surprised by the statement and had not previously received any complaints.
Podium protests and Russian results
At the medal ceremony for the cross-country sprint, German athlete Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann turned their backs on Russians Anastasiia Bagiian and Sergei Siniakin and refused to join a traditional group photo. Later, after the 10-kilometer race, Czech athletes Simona Bubenickova and David Sretek acted similarly. Kazmaier said the gesture was an act of solidarity with Ukraine and a protest against allowing Russians to compete under their flag and anthem.
The six admitted Russian athletes won 9 medals: 5 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze. Bagiian and Siniakin each took two golds, as did alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina, who completed a full set of medals in Italy. Cross-country skier Ivan Golubkov, after winning the 10-kilometer event, dedicated his medal to “our president and our whole country.” Belarus, represented by four athletes, won two medals, both taken by skier Roman Sviridenko, one gold and one silver.
Another issue at the Games was the growing role of Russian war veterans in para-sport. According to the outlet Vot Tak, the number of such athletes in Russia’s para teams has nearly doubled over the past two years and exceeded 700 by early 2026. IPC president Andrew Parsons, commenting on the possible participation of Russian veterans at the 2028 Games, said the organization could not decide which soldiers were “good” or “bad” and noted that many countries have military sports programs.