The International Paralympic Committee is preparing to launch what is being hailed as the most significant Winter Games in its history, with Milan Cortina 2026 set to break records for both athlete numbers and female representation. The event officially begins this Friday with an opening ceremony in Verona, though the atmosphere is not without its tensions.
Several nations have signalled their intent to boycott the ceremony following the controversial decision to allow the Russian flag and national anthem back onto the world stage.
According to figures released by the IPC on Thursday, 616 athletes from 56 nations will compete across 79 medal events in six sports. This comfortably exceeds the previous high-water mark set at Pyeongchang 2018. It is to be noted that Iran remains among the participating delegations despite the escalating conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Their flagbearer, para cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi, will be represented by a volunteer during the parade— a logistical measure being used for all nations due to training schedules and the distance between the athletes' villages and the ceremony venue.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics in 1976, which featured fewer than 200 athletes, the growth of the movement is perhaps most evident in the surge of female participation. A record 160 women will compete in Italy, 24 more than at Beijing 2022. For US wheelchair curler Laura Dwyer, the news is a point of immense pride. Dwyer, who was paralysed in a landscaping accident in 2012, noted that as a mother and an athlete, being part of such a milestone is a powerful way to inspire others. Several nations, including Australia, Korea, and Latvia, are bringing their largest-ever cohorts of female competitors, with five of the six sports seeing record-breaking numbers of women.
The Games will also see five countries — El Salvador, Haiti, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Portugal — making their debut on the winter stage. China, having dominated the medals in Beijing, has sent the largest delegation with 70 athletes, followed closely by the United States and Canada. The hosts, Italy, have also fielded their biggest-ever roster of 42.
IPC Executive Director Colleen Wrenn remarked that the sheer volume of records being set is a testament to years of development work by national committees. She suggested that while the quantity of athletes has grown, the depth of talent has also matured, promising a level of competition never before seen at a Paralympic Winter Games.
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