The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) sent shockwaves through the global sporting community this weekend, voting to lift all partial suspensions on Russia and Belarus after years of sanctions tied to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The dramatic decision, made during the IPC general assembly in Seoul, South Korea, on September 27, 2025, restores full rights and privileges to the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) of both countries, setting the stage for a potential return of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their own flags at the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics in March 2026.
In a series of tense ballots, IPC delegates first voted against a full suspension of Russia by 111 to 55, with 11 abstentions, before rejecting a partial suspension by a margin of 91 to 77 (eight abstentions). Belarus faced similar votes, with delegates voting 119 to 48 (nine abstentions) against full suspension, and 103 to 63 (10 abstentions) against partial suspension. These results mean both NPC Russia and NPC Belarus are “now regain[ing] their full rights and privileges of IPC membership, in accordance with the IPC Constitution,” according to an official IPC statement.
The IPC emphasized its intent to “work with the two members involved to put practical arrangements in place for this as soon as reasonably possible.” For Russian and Belarusian athletes, this could mean a long-awaited return to the world stage after being sidelined following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which also implicated Belarus as a staging ground for military operations.
The Russian Paralympic Committee wasted no time in celebrating the move. In a statement posted on its website, the committee called the IPC’s decision a “fair decision” and declared, “This is an important contribution to the development of the international Paralympic movement and an example that the rights of athletes must be protected without discrimination on the basis of nationality and political affiliation.”
But the news was met with outrage in Ukraine. Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi condemned the decision, stating that those who supported it had “betrayed their conscience and the Olympic values.” He urged European partners, who will host the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games, “not to allow the flag of the aggressor state to be raised over the free and democratic space while the war of aggression continues.” Bidnyi made it clear that Ukraine’s participation in Milan-Cortina is far from guaranteed: “The decision on whether to participate will be made collectively at a later stage, depending on many circumstances. When taking this decision, we will be guided solely by the interests of our free and united Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s state broadcaster, Suspilne, noted that it is legally prohibited for Ukrainian teams to participate in competitions where aggressor countries are represented, unless strict neutrality and the absence of state symbols are observed. The situation remains fluid, with Ukraine’s final stance hinging on further developments and the positions of international federations.
The IPC’s move comes at a time when the broader Olympic movement is still grappling with the fallout of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2023 for violating the Olympic charter, specifically due to its administrative incorporation of regional sports bodies in occupied eastern Ukraine. Despite this, Russian athletes will be permitted to compete at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February 2026 as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN), following the model used at the Paris Games in 2024. The IOC has made it clear: Russians competing in Milan-Cortina must do so without national symbols, and only in individual events, not team sports.
The path to Milan-Cortina is anything but straightforward. While the IPC has lifted its own restrictions, the final decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete in the six winter sports on the Paralympic program—para Alpine skiing, para cross-country skiing, para snowboarding, para biathlon, para ice hockey, and wheelchair curling—rests with the respective international sports federations. Many of these bodies have maintained bans on Russian and Belarusian athletes, even under neutral banners. French Paralympic Committee president Marie-Amelie Le Fur remarked, “To date, not all quotas have been filled by the national Paralympic committees. When the quotas are re-established, under the guise of universality, this could also open up quotas for the Russian and Belarusian committees, which have regained their rights. We must wait for the positions of the international federations and how the final selection process unfolds.”
For athletes hoping to participate, the requirements are strict. Each must have an active license for the 2025-26 season from their international federations. The selection process is well underway, and with the Games just months away, time is running short for any late entrants. The Russian flag, notably, has not been seen at the Paralympic Games since Sochi in 2014, following a string of doping scandals and subsequent suspensions. Russian athletes have since competed under neutral banners in Pyeongchang (2018), Tokyo (2021), and Paris (2024).
The IPC’s decision follows closely on the heels of the IOC’s September 19, 2025, announcement authorizing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics as neutrals. IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized, “The exact same approach that was done in Paris,” referring to the strict neutrality conditions imposed at last year’s Olympics.
The size of Russian and Belarusian delegations for both the Olympics and Paralympics will ultimately depend on the international federations responsible for qualification. Some federations continue to enforce bans, and the process of re-integrating athletes remains fraught with uncertainty. The IPC, for its part, has pledged to “work with the two members involved to put practical arrangements in place for this as soon as reasonably possible,” but the practicalities of athlete eligibility, licensing, and federation approval loom large.
The broader context is impossible to ignore. The ongoing war in Ukraine and the occupation of Ukrainian territory by Russian forces have kept sports and politics deeply entwined. The debate over whether athletes should be punished for the actions of their governments is as heated as ever, with strong arguments on both sides. Proponents of reinstatement argue that sport should transcend politics and that athletes deserve the right to compete regardless of their nationality. Opponents counter that allowing participation under national flags, especially while conflict persists, undermines the values of the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
With the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics set for March 6-15, 2026, all eyes will be on how international federations, host organizers, and the IPC navigate this contentious landscape in the coming months. The world awaits clarity on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will indeed march under their own banners—or if neutrality, or outright exclusion, will remain the order of the day.
As the countdown to Milan-Cortina continues, the IPC’s landmark decision has reignited debate, drawn sharp lines between stakeholders, and left the future participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes hanging in the balance. The next chapter in this ongoing saga will be written not just in boardrooms, but on the snow and ice of Italy next year.
