Hosts Italy voice ‘absolute opposition’ to Russia flag flying at Winter Paralympics

<ul><li><p>Italian government urges IPC to reconsider its stance</p></li><li><p>Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under flags</p></li></ul><p>Italy, the Winter Olympic hosts, has called for a reversal of the decision to let 10 Russian and Belarusian athletes compete with national flags and anthems at next month’s Paralympic Games.</p><p>The foreign minister Antonio Tajani and sports minister Andrea Abodi urged the International Paralympic Committee to reconsider its stance due to Russia’s four-year-old invasion of Ukraine, saying it contradicted the Olympic spirit.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/19/winter-paralympics-italy-absolute-opposition-russia-belarus">Continue reading...</a>