Overview
- Six Russians and four Belarusians received IPC bipartite invitations and will face no restrictions on flags, anthems or insignia.
- Ukraine said government officials will boycott the opening ceremony and all official Paralympic events, though its athletes will compete, and the EU sports commissioner plans to skip the ceremony.
- Italy’s foreign and sports ministers called the ruling incompatible with the spirit of the Games and asked the IPC to reconsider.
- The pathway included IPC members restoring Russia and Belarus to full rights in September 2025 and a December CAS decision overturning an FIS blanket ban, enabling entries in Para-alpine, cross-country and snowboard.
- This will be the first Russian flag at a Paralympics since 2014, and the anthem could be played if a Russian athlete wins gold, contrasting with IOC-enforced neutral status at the ongoing Winter Olympics.