Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee (NPC) has accused the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Milano Cortina 2026 organizers of imposing "systematic pressure" on its delegation. The committee cited restrictions on national flags, team briefings, and athlete accessories as grounds for complaint. Ukraine stated its athletes, coaches, and officials have experienced "openly negative" treatment, which they describe as unprecedented in the nation's three decades of Paralympic participation.
Incidents include being ordered to relocate a national flag from a visible position in the Paralympic village, with organizers citing village regulations. IPC Chief Brand and Communications Officer Craig Spence expressed surprise at the allegations, noting Ukraine had not used official channels to voice concerns.
Furthermore, biathlon champion Oleksandra Kononova was reportedly asked to remove earrings featuring a small Ukrainian flag and the words "Stop War" before a medal ceremony. IPC rules prohibit political statements at Paralympic venues.
Ukraine also reported that eight relatives of biathlon gold medallist Taras Rad were prevented from entering the stands with Ukrainian flags, and their traditional neck scarves were confiscated. Organizers stated the issue with the scarves centered on unverified text that may have contained prohibited political messaging.