The International Paralympic Committee (CPI) has agreed to remove the partial suspension of Russia and Belarus, in force since the invasion of Ukraine, and reintegrates the Paralympic Committees of both countries as full members of the organization, whose general assembly gathered on Saturday (27) in Seoul.
This decision paves the way for the presence of Russian and Belarusse paradesteps under neutral flag at the Winter Paralympic Games, which will be held from March 6 to 15 next year in Italy. Despite the decision, it is the international sports federations that participate in the event that should give final approval – and so far they maintain the suspension.
The Russian Paralympic Committee celebrated the decision, which classified as “fair” and “example of how athletes should be protected without discrimination based on nationality or political considerations.”
Already Ukraine reacted with indignation. The country’s sports minister Matviy Bidnyi said that those who voted in favor of the decision betrayed “their conscience and the Olympic values.”
To be eligible for the Paralympic Games, each athlete must have an active license for the 2025-2026 season of their International Federation, in this case of FIS (ski), Ibu (Biatlo) and WPI (ice hockey) that for now excluded the Russian and Belarussian athletes from the classification process. The World Curling attributes a quota per country and not by athlete, but the classification period has already been closed.
The partial suspension of the countries was decided in the fall of 2023. In the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the participation of Russian and Belarusos Paratletes under neutral flag and respecting strict neutrality conditions was authorized.
Previously, the CPI excluded the Russian and Belarusso Paralympic Committees of the Beijing Winter Games on March 3 of that year, on the eve of the opening ceremony, after the beginning a few days earlier, on February 24, the Russian army invasion of Ukraine with the support of Belarus.
This decision occurs eight days after the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to authorize, under neutral flag and strict conditions, the presence of athletes from both countries in winter games, the same device used for Paris a year ago.
