11 Countries and the EU to Boycott Paralympic Games Opening Over Russian and Belarusian Participation

Eleven countries and the EU are boycotting the Paralympic Games opening over Russian and Belarusian participation. Ukraine praised their decision and urged others to join the boycott.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported this.

The MFA expressed gratitude to all other countries that “made the morally right decision to boycott the opening ceremony, where the blood-stained Russian and Belarusian flags will be flying,” and called on all others to join the boycott.

The boycott includes: Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Germany. The Games’ opening is scheduled for March 6, with competitions continuing until March 15.

“It is unfortunate that the International Paralympic Committee decided to turn what should have been a ceremony promoting peace into a show of war propaganda for Moscow and Minsk. The boycott is a natural response to such a shameful step,” emphasized MFA head Andriy Sybiga.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from the Paralympics. In 2023, they were allowed to compete under a neutral status, and in September 2025, the International Paralympic Committee lifted the full ban. However, several international federations, including those for skiing, biathlon, curling, and para hockey, maintained restrictions.

In December, Russia and Belarus won an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, allowing their athletes to compete and earn ranking points. On February 18, it was announced that six Russian and four Belarusian athletes received invitations to the Games with the right to compete under their own flags.

This year, Russian athletes will compete under their own flag and anthem for the first time since 2014.