Paralympics, Ukraine: 'Scandal is the Russians'. Tajani-Abodi: "Italia against Moscow and Minsk flags"
"The Italia government expresses its absolute disapproval of the International Paralympic Committee's decision to admit six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2026 Paralympics in Milan Cortina with the display of their national emblems, including the anthem. But for the League it is positive
In the run-up to the opening of the Paralympic Games the world realises that the flags of Russia and Belarus will be paraded again. It is not a surprise, the decision dates back five months, but Ukraine raises the tone: 'it is scandalous, we will not be present at the opening ceremony. We will not participate in any of the official events,' announced Kiev's Sports Minister Matviy Bidny on X and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha instructs his ambassadors to encourage other countries to do the same.
The Italian government is also against it: 'The continuing violation of the truce and of Olympic and Paralympic ideals by Russia, supported by Belarus, is incompatible with the participation of their athletes in the Games, except as neutral individual athletes,' the ministers for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, said in a note. The League, however, stands aside: 'The Olympics have always been an extraordinary moment of sport, dialogue and friendship between peoples,' the party of deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini said in a note. 'It is therefore positive news that at the Paralympics athletes from all nations can compete under their flags.
The Paralympic Committee of Lithuania immediately takes a stand in the dispute: 'Our goal is an edition without aggressors,' says President Mindaugas Bilius, and looks at what initiatives they might take together with other Baltic and Scandinavian countries. The European Commissioner for Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, will also attend because, he explains, 'I cannot support the restoration of national symbols, flags, anthems and uniforms, which are inseparable from that conflict, while Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues'.
Italia in Seoul would have voted to keep the neutral form, without anthem and flag, but 'athletes must compete,' cuts short the president of the IOC Marco Giunio De Sanctis, reiterating what he had already said in September, 'The rest is just politics,' but certainly 'what is striking is the double decision,' partial suspension for the IOC and full reinstatement for the IOC.
While the International Olympic Committee allowed participation under a neutral flag on the condition that the athletes concerned were not under contract to the army and had not actively supported the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the International Paralympic Committee rejected the motion for partial suspension and in fact the Paralympic committees of Russia and Belarus regained their full rights. The IOC, and probably the IPC as well, were practically convinced that no athletes would show up, as it was too late to qualify and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) had decided not to facilitate them.
