Ukrainians at the Paralympics Were Banned from Wearing Uniforms Featuring a Map of Ukraine

Ukraine’s Paralympic team was banned from wearing uniforms featuring the map of Ukraine, as officials deemed the design too political ahead of the 2026 Winter Games.

The International Paralympic Committee called the design of the athletes’ ceremonial uniform too political, Korrespondent.net reports.

The Ukrainian national team was banned from using a ceremonial uniform featuring a map of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders at the Winter Paralympic Games. This was announced by the President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine, Valerii Sushkevych, in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to him, the International Paralympic Committee described the design as overly political. They argued that Paralympians are not allowed to use elements of national identity, such as lyrics from the national anthem or outlines of state borders.

Sushkevych noted that while preparing the uniform, the National Paralympic Committee had shown “radicalism,” which he explained by saying that after the Paris 2024 Summer Games there had been an “escalation of loyalty toward Russia.” In Italy, the national teams of Russia and its satellite Belarus were allowed to compete under their own flags for the first time since 2014.

“Paralympic officials are making sure that Ukraine is not allowed to present itself as a country without occupation and to compete in such a uniform against the aggressor state,” Sushkevych said.

Due to the ban, the Paralympic Committee had to urgently deliver a different uniform to Italy. The 2026 Winter Games will begin on March 6. Ukraine is represented by 25 para-athletes and 10 guide athletes.

Earlier, it was reported how many countries would boycott the Paralympics opening ceremony over the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus.