The European Commissioner Glenn Micallef has announced he will not attend the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Paralympics in March due to the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national flags.
On the social media platform X, Micallef stated that he could not support the display of national symbols such as flags, anthems, and uniforms from Russia and Belarus while the war in Ukraine continues.
The Commissioner for Youth and Sports described this as unacceptable and also criticised the invitation of athletes to compete without undergoing qualifying events.
The International Paralympic Committee confirmed on Tuesday that six Russian athletes and four Belarusian athletes will participate in the 2026 Paralympic Games, scheduled from 6 to 15 March.
This decision marks the return of these nations under their flags after being banned due to the Ukraine invasion launched by Moscow in February 2022, with Belarus’s support.
