International Paralympic Committee lifts partial suspensions of Russia, Belarus

The International Paralympic Committee on Saturday (September 27, 2025) determined to elevate a partial suspension of Russia and Belarus imposed since Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This determination, taken on the IPC’s basic meeting assembly in Seoul, opens the way in which for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete beneath their very own flags on the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games subsequent 12 months.

However, competitors within the six sports activities on the programme is ruled by worldwide federations which have thus far maintained a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes.

To be eligible, every athlete should have an lively licence for the 2025/26 season from their worldwide federations for para Alpine snowboarding, para cross-country snowboarding, para snowboarding, para biathlon, para ice hockey and wheelchair curling, which have at present suspended each international locations.

The partial suspension was adopted by the IPC General Assembly in 2023, authorising Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games beneath a impartial flag and strict neutrality situations.

The IPC had excluded the Russian and Belarusian Paralympic Committees from the Beijing 2022 Games.

The IPC’s newest determination comes eight days after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) authorised the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes on the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games beneath a impartial flag and strict neutrality situations.