The Czech Paralympic Committee will boycott the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan, Italy, in protest against the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. The decision, announced by the Czech committee’s executive board, aligns with a similar move by the Ukrainian Paralympic team, who announced their boycott earlier this week.
“Sport is not just about performance, but also about the values that Russian aggression in Ukraine completely denies,” said Zbyněk Sýkora, Chairman of the Czech Paralympic Committee, in a statement. “we will join the Ukrainian team in boycotting the opening ceremony. So our representatives will not be at the opening ceremony in Verona, we will not have a flag bearer in Cortina, and we will not be filming messages from athletes that were to be shown at the ceremony.”
Despite the boycott of the opening ceremony, Czech athletes will still participate in the sporting competitions. The committee confirmed that the decision was made after unanimous support from the Athletes’ Council. The IPC’s decision to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, including the allowance of their national flags and anthems, has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from nations supporting Ukraine.
The Czech Paralympic Committee previously stated its disagreement with the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. The move follows a pattern seen earlier this year, with Russia gradually returning to international sporting events, initially without its flag but now seeking full reinstatement.
Even as the Czech committee opted for a boycott of the opening ceremony, they did not request the removal of the Czech flag from the games, stating that their personal non-attendance was sufficient. Sýkora indicated that a broader boycott was not considered a viable solution. The Paralympics are scheduled to begin on March 6th in Milan, Italy.
