Overview

• IPC members in Seoul voted down full and partial suspensions for Russia (111–55, then 91–77) and Belarus (119–48, then 103–63), reinstating both NPCs’ rights.
• The decision raises the prospect of national flags at the March 6–15, 2026 Winter Paralympics, but eligibility remains subject to each sport’s governing body, many of which keep bans in place.
• To compete, athletes must hold 2025/26 licences from their international federations in para alpine skiing, cross-country, snowboarding, biathlon, ice hockey and wheelchair curling.
• Ukraine’s sports minister Matviy Bidnyi condemned the vote and urged European hosts not to permit the aggressor state’s flag while the war continues.
• The Russian Paralympic Committee welcomed what it called a fair decision, while the IOC last week authorized Russian and Belarusian participation at the 2026 Winter Olympics only as neutral athletes.