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
- SocietyBelarus restricts access to forests across the country over fire fearsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ employment rate declines 1.3 percent in Q1The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyFIBA authorizes Belarus U21 team to compete in Youth Nations LeagueThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- SocietyLithuanian man arrested after picking up Belarusian cigarettes at border fenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLatvia accounts for 70 percent of all irregular Belarus-EU crossings since JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEuropean General Court rules some sanctions on businessman Šaŭcoŭ unlawfulThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyViciebsk police to hold command staff exercise on FridayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsZelensky warns against deeper Belarus involvement in Russia’s war on UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSix groups running for opposition Coordination Council branded “extremist”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- EconomyRubel keeps rising against US dollar, euro, yuanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- PoliticsSeimas extends national sanctions against Russia, BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarus’ opposition seeks cooperation agreement with Lithuania’s SeimasThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus to draft about 10,000 in the army this springThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus puts six more exiled activists on trial in their absenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- SocietyInterior minister: law enforcers monitoring all sectors for corruptionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyŁatuška raises pension access problems for Belarusian exiles at CoE levelThe material is available only to POZIRK+



