Russian athletes are set to compete under their own flag at the Paralympics for the first time in over a decade, with the national anthem due to be played for any gold medallists. Tuesday’s announcement is a further sign that Russia and its national identity are being fully restored within Olympic circles well ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed that the Russian National Paralympic Committee has been awarded six slots for the upcoming Milan Cortina Games. This marks the first occasion the Russian flag will fly at the Paralympics since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. Russian athletes were initially banned following revelations of a state-sponsored doping programme, with sanctions extended following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Should a Russian athlete take gold, it will be the first time the national anthem has been played on a major global sporting stage since the invasion began.
Russia's ally, Belarus, which has also faced bans since 2022, has been awarded four slots for Milan Cortina. The IPC stated: “NPC Russia has been awarded a total of six slots: two in Para alpine skiing, two in Para cross-country skiing, and two in Para snowboard.”
While the IPC voted to lift partial suspensions on Russia and Belarus in September, IPC President Andrew Parsons initially suggested in November that athletes from these nations would not participate in Milan Cortina as sports' governing bodies had maintained their bans. However, a successful appeal by Russia to the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a blanket ban imposed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, clearing the path for athletes to compete with their flag and anthem at the Paralympics.
It is worth noting that the Russian Olympic Committee remains suspended by the International Olympic Committee for incorporating regional sports bodies in occupied eastern Ukraine, though this decision is currently under legal review.
Russian media has reported that three-time Paralympic champion Aleksey Bugaev is among those granted a slot, alongside world championship medallists Ivan Golubkov and Anastasiia Bagiian. All three returned to competition last month.
The Milan Cortina Paralympics are scheduled for March 6-15.
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