The Winter Paralympics will take place from 6-15 March with about 600 athletes competing in 79 medal events across six sports.

Russian and Belarusian para-athletes will not be at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, despite the International Paralympic Committee lifting its ban on them.

Although the IPC oversees the Games, there are four separate governing bodies in charge of the six sports taking place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Three of the governing bodies have decided to keep their bans on athletes from Russia and Belarus, meaning that despite the IPC's new ruling, no qualification spots will be available for them.

Both countries were suspended from Paralympic competition after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Belarus as a close ally. A partial ban allowing athletes to compete as neutrals was introduced in 2023, but the decision to lift suspensions came later, leaving little time for these nations to qualify for the Games.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), International Biathlon Union (IBU), and World Curling Federation have not lifted their bans, while World Para Ice Hockey had already determined which countries would enter the qualifying tournament. IPC president Andrew Parsons expressed respect for the federations' decisions, highlighting that athletes from Belarus and Russia will find it impossible to qualify given the current circumstances.

I hope the focus will now be very much on the outstanding athletes and NPCs that will compete at Milano Cortina 2026 next March, Parsons said, stressing the importance of celebrating the achievements of all participating athletes.