The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics started on Friday with an opening ceremony marked by Russian athletes being booed as they paraded behind their national flag for the first time since 2014.
Despite Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has allowed six Russian athletes and four from their allies Belarus to represent their countries, accompanied by their national flags, rather than competing as neutrals.
The move sparked a major backlash with Ukraine, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland all boycotting the ceremony in the historic Verona Arena.
Photo: Reuters
IPC president Andrew Parsons justified the decision by citing the vote taken by the organization’s General Assembly in September last year in favor of Russia and Belarus returning under their flags.
With war also raging in the Middle East, it was the third time in four editions that the Winter Paralympics have opened with a conflict having started in the days preceding the Games.
“Four years ago, I said I was horrified at what was happening in the world,” Parsons said during the opening ceremony. “Unfortunately, the situation has not changed. In a world where some countries are better known by the names of their leaders, I prefer to know countries by the names of their athletes.”
In the presence of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Italian President Sergio Mattarella, the ceremony started with a drumming performance from Stewart Copeland of The Police.
After a stripped-back performance of the national anthem of Italy, the athletes parade got under way flanked by volunteers.
Most nations boasted no more than two athletes during the parade, while videos were also displayed on stage of some members of certain delegations that were unable to attend due to sporting action in the Games yesterday morning.
The Russian delegation of four athletes was booed by sections of the spectators, as well as some volunteers in the arena.
The boycotting nations were represented by two volunteers carrying the countries’ flags, but no athletes or dignitaries paraded with them.
The sight of the Ukrainian flag was greeted by a long round of applause in the arena.
In his speech, the president of the local organizing committee, Giovanni Malago said: “The message of peace, inclusion, and solidarity at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic movement is more meaningful and more important than ever.”
The Paralympics follow the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics that closed on Feb. 22.
As Russia returns to competition under its own colors and with the US and Israel beginning their war on Iran during the Olympic truce period, the fear of many is that the extraordinary feats and stories of more than 600 athletes could be lost on the 50th anniversary of the Paralympics.
The IPC earlier on Friday announced that Iran’s sole competitor, Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, had been forced to pull out of the Games due to the ongoing war.
Russia yesterday won its first Paralympic medal since 2014 as Varvara Voronchikhina claimed bronze in the women’s downhill standing in Cortina.
Speaking after winning her nation’s first medal since the 2014 Games in Sochi, 23-year-old Voronchikhina said: “For us, it’s been a really long time when we were without a flag.
“I’m really glad and all my country and all my teammates also,” she said. “I’m very happy, because it’s the first medal for me.”
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