11 countries and the EU announced their decision to boycott the opening of the Paralympic Games - MFA
Kyiv • UNN
11 countries and the EU have decided to boycott the opening of the Paralympic Games in Italy due to the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes with their flags and anthems.
11 countries and the EU have announced their decision to boycott the opening of the Paralympic Games due to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, according to UNN.
Already 11 countries and the EU have announced their decision to boycott the opening of the Paralympic Games, which will soon start in Italy, due to the presence of Russians and Belarusians, whom the International Paralympic Committee allowed to compete with their flags and anthems
Minister Andriy Sybiha noted that he is "grateful to the German Paralympic Committee for its clear, value-based decision not to participate in the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games."
I also thank the German State Minister for Sport and Volunteering, Christiane Schenderlein, for the decision not to participate in the ceremony, as well as for the clear support of this line by the Federal Government. Germany demonstrates principled leadership and takes responsibility, playing a strong leading role in European sports. Dignity cannot be negotiated
According to him, 11 countries and the EU have already made the only morally correct decision to boycott the opening ceremony, where blood-stained Russian and Belarusian flags will fly. We thank all of them and call on all others to join.
Addition
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, stated that he officially appealed to the President of the International Olympic Committee, Ms. Kirsty Coventry, and to the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, regarding decisions that contradict the values of the Olympic and Paralympic movement.
Allowing Russian and Belarusian symbols while the aggressor country's military tortures and kills is not neutrality, but moral complicity in silencing crimes. And it is against this background that the committee's latest decisions look particularly cynical. The disqualification of Vladyslav Heraskevych for honoring the memory of fallen Ukrainian athletes is a punishment for humanity. That is, on the one hand, we "punish" a person for respect, and on the other hand, we allow the aggressor state to display its flags and anthems on the international arena
Recall
The Ukrainian national team has finally formed its application for the 2026 Paralympic Games, winning 25 licenses, which is the best indicator in history. 35 athletes will compete in four sports, including nine debutants.