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Milan Cortina Paralympics Opening Ceremony: Top Moments, Highlights and More
The International Paralympic Committee allowed six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete under their flags, prompting boycotts by seven nations including Ukraine and Canada.
- At the start of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics, Russian and Belarusian athletes marched under national flags inside the Arena di Verona, marking the first time since prior bans.
- The International Paralympic Committee said it had issued special invitations allowing limited competitors from Russia and Belarus despite earlier bans tied to a state doping scandal and war-linked sanctions, prompting boycotts by seven nations including Finland and Ukraine.
- Inside the arena, six Russian athletes and four Belarusian athletes received places, while Andrew Parsons focused on sport during conflict in his remarks.
- The ceremony ended with two Paralympic flames lit in Milan and Cortina, marking the start of competition across the Italian Alps, with events scheduled through 15 March.
- Missile strikes in the Middle East disrupted travel before the Games, leaving Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei in Iran, while the IOC confirmed United States and Israel athletes remain eligible.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Verona. The Paralympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina 2026 were officially inaugurated yesterday in the midst of tensions over the war in the Middle East, while seven countries boycotted the opening ceremony due to the return of Russia and Belarus to the world sports arena.
Russian flag returns at Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in Verona
The Winter Paralympic Games opened in Verona with Russian and Belarusian athletes marching behind national flags for the first time since bans followed the invasion of Ukraine. The moment drew silence from sections of the crowd while volunteers carrying the Ukrainian flag received loud applause inside the Arena di Verona. The ceremony marked the start of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics and the fiftieth anniversary of the Games. The eve…
The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics began on Friday with an opening ceremony in which Russian athletes were booed as they marched under their national flag for the first time since 2014.
The 50th Anniversary of the Paralympic Winter Games, the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games, kicked off with an opening ceremony on the 7th (Korean time) and began a ten-day run. The opening ceremony for this year's Paralympic Games was held at the Verona Arena in Italy, the same venue as the closing ceremony for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics last month.
29 nations out of 55 parade. Bebe Vio ultima tedofora (ANSA)
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