The Lithuanian Paralympic Committee on Wednesday strongly condemned a decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags at this year’s Winter Paralympic Games in Italy.
“This is very sad news. We are categorically against it. Together with the other Baltic countries, Scandinavia and Ukraine, we are doing everything we can to prevent Russian and Belarusian representatives from participating in the Winter Paralympic Games,” said Mindaugas Bilius, president of the Lithuanian Paralympic Committee.
Bilius said he has discussed the situation with the head of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, is coordinating actions with Nordic countries and will consult Lithuania’s government and the Education, Science and Sport Ministry.
“Our goal is Winter Paralympics without aggressors,” he said.
Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete under their own national flags at the Winter Paralympic Games Milan-Cortina 2026, the governing body confirmed to AFP on Tuesday.
The International Paralympic Committee told AFP the athletes would be “treated like [those from] any other country”.
Athletes from Russia and Belarus had been barred from competing under their national flags since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In September, however, the IPC lifted its suspension of the two countries at its general assembly.
A partial suspension introduced in 2023 – replacing a full ban imposed after the invasion – had allowed athletes to compete only as neutrals. Since December, athletes from both countries have been able to accumulate ranking points after Russia and Belarus won an appeal against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Kyiv has expressed outrage at the decision by the International Olympic Committee to lift the partial suspension, accusing it of betraying “its conscience and Olympic values”.
The six Russian athletes set to compete in Milan-Cortina will take part in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. Russia has been allocated two slots in each of those disciplines. The Russian Paralympic Committee has announced that three-time Paralympic alpine skiing gold medalist Alexey Bugaev is among those selected.
Belarus has been granted four slots, all in cross-country skiing. Both male and female athletes from the two countries will compete.
The Winter Paralympic Games will be held in Italy from March 6 to March 15.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said that Russia has killed 650 athletes and coaches since the invasion began.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
