UK Government Ministers to Boycott Paralympic Ceremonies
No UK government ministers or officials will attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Paralympics following the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.
Six athletes from Russia and four from Belarus will represent their countries directly, unlike at last month's Winter Olympics where they competed as neutrals.
This marks the first time the Russian flag has been displayed at a Paralympic Games since Sochi 2014. Previous sanctions had been imposed due to a state-sponsored doping program and later because of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Last year, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifted its partial ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus competing at the Games.
"We strongly oppose the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
We have been clear that the Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in international sport while the barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine is ongoing.
Therefore, no government ministers or officials will attend the opening or closing ceremonies of the Paralympics."
A government spokesperson made this statement in response to the IPC's decision.
Support for British Athletes and Political Stances
Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock will attend the Games in Cortina solely to support British athletes but was not scheduled to participate in the opening ceremony.
Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, attended the opening ceremony of last month's Winter Olympics.
On Wednesday, the IPC informed that athletes from Ukraine, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland will boycott the opening ceremony.
Additionally, Germany's Paralympic Committee announced that its team will appear in a pre-recorded broadcast segment of the opening ceremony but will not participate in the Parade of Nations as a gesture of solidarity with Ukraine.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, with the Games running from 6 to 15 March.
