VERONA, Italy, March 7, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics started on Friday with an opening ceremony marked by Russian athletes being booed as they paraded behind their national flag for the first time since 2014. The Russian delegation of four athletes was booed by sections of the spectators, as well as some volunteers in the arena. The boycotting nations were represented by two volunteers carrying the countries' flags but no athletes or dignitaries paraded with them. Double Summer Paralympic gold medallist Lauren Parker will make her Winter Games debut when she represents Australia in the biathlon and cross-country events. El Salvador's cross-country skier David Chavez will make history when he becomes the first person from the Central American country to take part in a Winter Games -- either Olympics or Paralympics.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 07, 2026 03:16 UTC