Ukraine officials to boycott Winter Paralympics opening ceremony over Russian athletes

<ul><li><p>Six Russians and four Belarusians set for Milano Cortina</p></li><li><p>‘Their flags have no place at international ­sporting events’</p></li></ul><p>Ukraine’s sports minister has condemned the decision to allow six Russians and four Belarusians to compete under their country’s flags at next month’s Winter Paralympics as “disappointing and outrageous”. Matvii Bidnyi said Ukraine officials will not attend the opening ceremony or other ­official events as a result.</p><p>“The flags of Russia and ­Belarus have no place at international ­sporting events that stand for fairness, integrity, and respect,” Bidnyi said in response to the International Paralympic Committee’s decision on Monday. “These are the flags of regimes that have turned sport into a tool of war, lies and contempt.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/18/ukraine-sports-minister-slams-russia-winter-paralympics-entry">Continue reading...</a>