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IPC Bars Ukraine's Parade Uniform as Political as Kyiv Urges Wider Paralympics Opening Boycott

The dispute follows the IPC decision to readmit Russian and Belarusian athletes under national flags, prompting planned no-shows at the Verona ceremony.

Overview

  • Ukraine’s banned parade kit featured a repeated map of the country within its 1991 borders designed by Viktor Anisimov, which the IPC deemed a political display under its uniform rules.
  • NPC Ukraine president Valeriy Sushkevich said an alternative outfit was produced on an urgent timeline and transported by bus to Milan for the team already on site.
  • The IPC cited regulations that forbid political messages, slogans or national-identity statements on Paralympic attire in explaining the rejection.
  • Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the ruling and called on all delegations to join the opening-ceremony boycott after the IPC allowed Russian and Belarusian flags.
  • Ukraine will skip the 6 March opening in Verona yet compete from 6–15 March with 25 athlete quotas and a 35-person delegation across para-biathlon, para cross-country, para alpine skiing and para snowboarding.