Ukraine officials to boycott Paralympics in protest over Russia's participation

Ukrainian officials will boycott the Milano Cortina Paralympics next month due to the participation of a small number of Russian and Belarusian athletes, Ukraine's Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said on Wednesday.

The athletes have been cleared to compete under their flag.

Ukrainian athletes will still compete in the March 6-15 Paralympic Games.

The boycott will mean no Ukrainian official will attend the opening ceremony or any other event.

Russia and Belarus will have a combined 10 para athletes at next month's Paralympics following Tuesday's decision by the International Paralympic Committee.

Six slots have been handed to Russia and four to Belarus.

Bidnyi said: "In response to the outrageous decision to let Russians and Belarusians compete under their national flags, Ukrainian public officials will not attend the Paralympic Games.

"We will not be present at the opening ceremony. We will not take part in any other official Paralympic events."

He added: "We thank every official from the free world who will do the same.

"We will keep fighting!"

Following the decision by the International Paralympic Committee, the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport wrote that their participation was the "completely wrong decision".

She said: "Allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags while the brutal invasion of Ukraine continues sends a terrible message."

Russia has been banned twice from the Games.

The first came in 2016 over a state doping scheme.

The second was in 2022 due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

When the IPC members voted to lift the partial suspensions of Russia and Belarus in September, the UK and 32 other countries, mainly in Europe, signed a joint statement expressing "serious concern".

Ukrainian athletes were present at the Winter Olympic opening ceremony; however, they displayed signs of protest against Russian participation throughout the competition.

The Ukrainian team was met with massive cheers and standing ovations from the crowd inside San Siro.

The most significant protest involved skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, who wore a helmet displaying images of victims of the Russian invasion.

This led to his disqualification from the competition.

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