# Milan Cortina Paralympics open in Verona with Russian flag back on the stage

The Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics opened in Verona with a ceremony marked as much by geopolitical tension as by sporting celebration. The event brought the Russian flag back into the Paralympic parade for the first time since 2014, drew boycotts from several countries, and took place under the pressure of war in the Middle East and a wider debate about how international sport handles conflict.

The ceremony was held at the Arena di Verona, a historic venue adapted with wheelchair ramps, accessible restrooms, and other safety upgrades. It was the first UNESCO World Heritage site to host a Paralympic opening ceremony. Although the Games involve more than 600 athletes, only about 45 were present at the ceremony because the competition venues are spread across Italy and many competitors were already focused on events starting the next day.

Russia’s return was the most prominent political moment of the evening. Its flag appeared in the nations’ parade, and boos were heard as the delegation entered. Four Russian athletes took part, wearing bright red uniforms, while Belarus also returned to the parade with two athletes. The Russian anthem could be played for gold medalists for the first time at a major global sporting event since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a highly symbolic change after years of sanctions and bans tied first to state-sponsored doping and then to the war.

Ukraine was announced during the parade, but no athletes were seen because the country boycotted the ceremony. Six other nations had planned not to attend for political reasons, according to the International Paralympic Committee: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania. The boycott list shows how the ceremony became a diplomatic event in its own right, with governments and sports bodies taking visibly different positions on participation.

The conflict in the Middle East also affected the opening night. Iran’s only scheduled athlete, Para cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi, withdrew after he could not get to Italy safely amid the intensifying war. The absence of Iran’s flag, along with the backdrop of the wider conflict, made the ceremony feel unusually unsettled for an event meant to showcase inclusion and resilience.

IPC president Andrew Parsons used his remarks to argue that sport should focus on athletes rather than national leaders, saying he preferred to know countries by the names of their athletes. His comments reflected the broader message the Paralympic movement often emphasizes: that competition can provide a different framework for international contact, even when politics spill into the arena.

Italy’s role in the ceremony was also heavily visible. Bebe Vio carried the flame into the arena, Francesca Porcellato lit the cauldron in Cortina d’Ampezzo, and Gianmaria Dal Maistro lit another cauldron in Milan. Performances included drummer Stewart Copeland and DJ Miky Bionic, whose appearance was highlighted as an example of technological adaptation and accessibility.

This edition is the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics and the biggest Winter Games the movement has staged, with 79 events across six sports and record female participation, according to the IPC. The opening ceremony made clear that the sporting milestone would unfold in a highly charged atmosphere, where accessibility, symbolism, and geopolitics all shared the same stage.