Belarus to miss 2026 Paralympics amid ban on qualifiers

October 24, Pozirk. Belarusian and Russian athletes will not be able to participate in the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Italy next March, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced yesterday, citing responses from international federations responsible for the qualifiers.
Federations overseeing competitions in skiing, biathlon and curling confirmed the suspension of Belarus and Russia. The ice hockey federation said that qualifiers were over. Moreover, Belarus does not currently have an ice hockey team competing at the international level.
In late September, the IPC members voted to lift restrictions on the National Paralympic Committees (NPC) of Belarus and Russia. However, athletes’ participation in the Paralympics is conditional on their qualification for the Games under the rules of the respective international federations.
The IPC fully respects the decisions of each international federation regarding the sports they govern, said Andrew Parsons, IPC president.
Belarus and Russia were suspended from the Paralympics in 2022 following the launch of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine in 2022, with the help of Belarusian authorities. Two years ago, athletes from both countries were allowed to compete as neutrals.
International Paralympic Committee lifts restrictions against Belarus, Russia
- PoliticsSeats on opposition Coordination Council up for grabsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus’ foreign minister meets with officials in OmanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus bans content of defunct VoA Russian service for distributionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsInformation ministry suspends Belarusian-language publisher's distribution licenseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁatuška meets with Council of Europe officials to share evidence of alleged Łukasenka crimesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityDefense minister: NATO continues preparing for warThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLatvian intelligence estimates Belarus’ army strength at 50,000The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLithuania reports surge in irregular border crossing attemptsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyUpper house approves fines for propaganda of homosexualityThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics
- Politics, SocietyLithuania suspects dozens of facilitating cigarette smuggling from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyLithuania’s president lists conditions for engagement with MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecuritySweden's army commander inspects defenses at Lithuanian-Belarusian borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- EconomyRubel drops 3.2 percent against US dollar at cash exchange offices in MarchThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja’s aide meets special envoy Coale in WashingtonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsGeologist skeptical of Łukašenka’s expectations for discovery of new oil depositsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus opens another patrol station on its border with UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+



