MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. A decision made by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) last year regarding the participation of Para athletes in the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Italy under the national flags and with their national anthems is irreversible, a senior Russian sports official said on Friday.
"This was our unequivocal victory," Russian Sports Minister and President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) Mikhail Degtyarev, said in an interview with Russia’s Vesti TV news program, commenting on the IPC ruling made in September 2025.
"Moreover, such a victory was achieved by democratic means voiced at the Congress of the International Paralympic Committee. Therefore, this decision cannot be challenged in principle, because it was made by the global majority."
Last month, delegations from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland announced their decision to boycott the official Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics because of Russia’s participation in the event.
Degtyarev also stated that participating countries that decided to skip the Official Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games due to the participation of Russians are dancing to the tune of Ukraine.
"Some of them said that officials from one country or another would not attend the Opening [Ceremony], while others stated that they will be staying in other Italian cities, preparing for the competition," Degtyarev noted.
"Others are still on their arrival schedules to Italy. There is some sort of show regarding all this fuss. It turns out that a number of European states are simply dancing to the tune of Ukraine," the Russian sports official added.
President of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) Pavel Rozhkov told TASS in February that six Russian Para athletes had received bipartite invitations to the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
The invitations were extended to three-time Paralympic Champion in alpine skiing Aleksey Bugayev, two-time World Champion in alpine skiing Varvara Voronchikhina, multiple World Champion in para cross-country skiing Ivan Golubkov, World Championship medalist in para cross-country skiing Anastasia Bagiyan and her guide Sergey Sinyakin, and para snowboarders Dmitry Fadeyev and Philipp Shebbo Monzer.
Russia’s Degtyarev announced last month that the country’s national delegation at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy would consist of 23 members.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will be held in Italy on March 6-15. The Russian Paralympians were allowed to compete at the upcoming Winter Paralympics under the national flag and to the tune of the country’s anthem. RPC President Rozhkov also announced in February that Russian Paralympians would take part in the Parade of Athletes at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy next month under the national flag.
2026 Winter Paralympic Games
On January 20, the IPC revised its decision regarding the admission of the Russian national team to the 2026 Paralympics, allowing cross-country skiers, snowboarders, and alpine skiers to apply for invitations. In September 2025, the General Assembly of the International Paralympic Committee fully reinstated the Paralympic Committees of Russia and Belarus.
However, on October 23, 2025, the IPC press office announced that Russians would not be competing at the 2026 Paralympic Games due to the stance taken by certain sports federations. In particular, the Council of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) decided not to allow Russians to participate in international competitions, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The RPC later successfully challenged that decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).