KYIV: Ukrainian officers will boycott the Paralympic Winter Video games, Kyiv mentioned on Wednesday (Feb 18), after the Worldwide Paralympic Committee allowed Russian athletes to compete beneath their nationwide flag.
Ukraine additionally urged different nations to shun the opening ceremony in Verona on Mar 6, in a part of a rising standoff between Kyiv and worldwide sporting federations 4 years since Russia’s invasion.
Six Russians and 4 Belarusians might be allowed to participate beneath their very own flags on the Milan-Cortina Paralympics somewhat than as impartial athletes, the Video games’ governing physique confirmed to AFP on Tuesday.
Russia has been principally banned from worldwide sport since Moscow invaded Ukraine. The IPC’s determination triggered fury in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s sports activities minister Matviy Bidny known as the choice “outrageous”, and accused Russia and Belarus of turning “sport right into a device of battle, lies, and contempt”.
“Ukrainian public officers won’t attend the Paralympic Video games. We won’t be current on the opening ceremony,” he mentioned on social media.
“We won’t participate in another official Paralympic occasions,” he added.
Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andriy Sybiga mentioned he had instructed Kyiv’s ambassadors to induce different nations to additionally shun the opening ceremony.
“Permitting the flags of aggressor states to be raised on the Paralympic Video games whereas Russia’s battle in opposition to Ukraine rages on is flawed – morally and politically,” Sybiga mentioned on social media.
The EU’s sports activities commissioner Glenn Micallef mentioned he would additionally skip the opening ceremony.
Overseas Minister Antonio Tajani of Italy, which is internet hosting the Video games, joined the criticism and known as on the IPC to rethink its determination.
