CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, March 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics start on Friday but the atmosphere at the opening ceremony has been dampened by Ukraine leading a boycott against the presence of a handful of Russian competitors in the competition. Russia and Belarus had been banned from the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing following the invasion of Ukraine, although they were permitted to compete as neutral athletes in the Paris Summer Paralympics two years later. "If we do not go, it would mean allowing (Russian president Vladimir) Putin to claim a victory over Ukrainian Paralympians and over Ukraine by excluding us from the Games. Once the action gets going, one star to watch will be British para snowboarder Davy Zwy, who will become the first man with motor neurone disease to compete in a Winter Paralympics. Double Summer Paralympic gold medallist Lauren Parker will make her Winter Games debut when she represents Australia in the biathlon and cross-country events.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 05, 2026 02:25 UTC