Winter Paralympics boycott grows as new country and broadcaster act | Other | Sport

Lithuania has become the latest nation to announce plans to boycott the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony, joining a growing protest over Russia’s participation in the competition. Russian athletes will be permitted to compete under their national flag at the event, marking the first time this has been allowed since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Their suspension was implemented in 2023, separate from the ban imposed ahead of the 2020 Games due to doping violations. Despite the ban, selected Russian and Belarusian athletes, who were also impacted by the suspension, have been granted permission to compete as neutral athletes under the Olympic flag – but now the national flags will return. Lithuania, along with Poland and Ukraine, have made their position clear on the issue.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė announced on Thursday her intention to boycott the Milano-Cortina Paralympic Games next month in protest against the decision made by the International Paralympic Committee. Speaking to radio broadcaster Žinių Radijas, Ruginienė stated: “I had planned the trip to support our Paralympic athletes and the committee, but this trip will not take place, and our athlete representing Lithuania will have to be honoured here in Lithuania.

“We need unity and resilience against all provocations, and we must say that in Europe we stand united and believe in Ukraine’s victory.” It was IPC spokesman Craig Spence who confirmed to Inside the Games that 10 Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate at the Games in March.

Estonian public broadcaster ERR, meanwhile, announced on Wednesday that they will not televise events featuring Russian and Belarusian athletes who are scheduled to compete under their national flags.

The statement they released, via ERR’s sport editor Rio Sarrna, read: “Estonian public broadcaster unequivocally condemns the normalisation of relations with Russia and Belarus in the field of sports and denounces the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Games under their respective national flags.”

This declaration means Estonian audiences will be prevented from watching the alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding events. In the UK, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy declined to confirm whether Team GB will participate in the boycott.

However, she did label the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their nations’ flags as “terrible”. Posting on X, Nandy wrote: “This is completely the wrong decision. Allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags whilst the brutal invasion of Ukraine persists sends a terrible message. The International Paralympic Committee should urgently reconsider this decision.”