Bonn (Germany), Oct 23 (NationPress) In a pivotal decision made this past September, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly elected not to uphold the partial suspension of the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) of Belarus and Russia. This decision has reinstated the full membership rights and privileges of both NPCs, enabling Para athletes from these nations to compete in the Paralympic Games, contingent upon qualifying under the guidelines set by their respective international federations.

According to the Paralympic system, international federations for each sport hold the responsibility for defining the qualification pathways and determining athlete eligibility for events. Post the IPC General Assembly’s decision, the Committee sought validation from the four governing international federations for the sports to be held at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games - these include the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), International Biathlon Union (IBU), World Curling, and World Para Ice Hockey.

However, the responses from these federations made it evident that in practicality, athletes from Belarus and Russia are unlikely to secure qualification for the Games scheduled for next March.

In the realm of snow sports, the FIS Council voted on October 21 to not facilitate participation of athletes from these nations in qualification events for the Milano Cortina 2026. Similarly, the IBU reaffirmed that “the Belarusian and Russian Biathlon Federations remain suspended from its competitions as per the IBU Congress decision of September 2022.”

Regarding Para ice hockey, while the IPC’s September decision allows for Russia's participation, World Para Ice Hockey clarified that “it is impractical for the nation to qualify for March’s Games.” Belarus, on the other hand, “currently lacks a Para ice hockey team competing at the international level.”

In wheelchair curling, World Curling previously announced in January 2025 that it would continue the exclusion of Belarus and Russia from its competitions until the conclusion of the 2024–2025 season. Consequently, teams from both nations are deemed ineligible for qualification to the Milano Cortina 2026.

IPC President Andrew Parsons underlined the organization’s respect for each federation's autonomy, stating, “Just as the IPC fully honors the decision of the IPC General Assembly not to maintain the partial suspensions of NPC Belarus and NPC Russia, we equally respect the decisions made by each international federation regarding the sports they manage.”

“The current stances of FIS, IBU, and World Curling indicate that athletes and teams from Belarus and Russia are unable to participate in their events, thereby hindering their qualification for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

“Although Belarus and Russia are now permitted to compete in Para ice hockey events, at this advanced stage of the qualification cycle, the six teams set for November’s Paralympic Games Qualification Tournament have already been finalized.

“With the positions of the four International Federations overseeing the six sports in the Paralympic Winter Games programme now clear, I hope the focus will shift towards the remarkable athletes and NPCs set to compete at Milano Cortina 2026 this March, as well as the significant transformational legacies the Paralympic Winter Games will foster.”

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 6–15, 2026, encompassing 79 medal events across six sports. This event will also commemorate a historic milestone - the 50th anniversary of the Paralympic Winter Games, which originated in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden in 1976.