BRUSSELS.- He Commissioner for Youth and Sports of the European Union (EU), Glenn Micallefannounced this Wednesday that he will not attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games winter of Milan-Cortina on March 6 after the athletes of Russia and Belarus were authorized to compete with their national flags.
“While the war of aggression of Russia against Ukraine continue, I cannot support the restitution of national symbols, flags, anthems and uniforms, which are inseparable from this conflict,” the Maltese politician published on social networks, considering it “unacceptable” that athletes from both countries have been invited without having passed qualifying tests.
On Tuesday, a representative of the International Paralympic Committee (CPI), Craig Spenceannounced to AFP that Russians and Belarusians would be present at the Paralympic Games in Italy with their national symbols, unlike in the Olympic Games currently underway, where they must do so under a neutral flag and after meeting a series of conditions.
The CPI granted six invitations to Russia and four to Belarus.
That decision was considered “disappointing and scandalous” this Wednesday by the Ukrainian Sports Minister, Matvii Bidnyon the social network X.
“In Russia, Paralympic sport has become a pillar for the people that (Vladimir) Putin has sent to Ukraine to kill and who have returned from Ukraine injured and disabled,” the minister added.
“Giving them a platform means giving a voice to war propaganda,” he denounced.
They rejected a boycott
The president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, Valery Sushkevichtold AFP on Tuesday that he was “outraged” by the news, but rejected a boycott because he believes Vladimir Putin could sell it as a Russian triumph over the Ukrainian Paralympians.
The opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games will take place on March 6 and the event will close on March 15.
The ICC decision on Russia and Belarus marks a significant step towards the sporting reintegration of both countries, banned from the international sports scene since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the support of Belarus.
