Poland has officially announced a boycott of the opening ceremony for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. This decision is a protest against allowing athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under a neutral flag. More countries, including Ukraine, are joining the Polish initiative, while France has announced it will not boycott the ceremony. The situation is escalating tensions between Warsaw and Moscow, provoking aggressive reactions from Russian diplomacy.
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The decision by Poland's Ministry of Sport and Tourism and the Polish Paralympic Committee to boycott the opening ceremony in Verona is the culmination of a months-long dispute over the presence of aggressors in international sport. The Polish delegation, in solidarity with Ukraine, refused to participate in the ceremonial parade, stating that the return of Russians to sports arenas, even under neutral status, is premature and legitimizes the Kremlin's war actions. The boycott is diplomatic and symbolic – Polish para-athletes will compete but will not take part in the official inauguration. The Russian reaction to Poland's actions was immediate and exceptionally harsh. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, contemptuously commented on Warsaw's decision, suggesting that the absence of Poles would improve the event's atmosphere. Russian commentators and politicians used even more radical language, calling Polish authorities "fools." Meanwhile, media reports indicate growing pressure on Russian athletes, such as skater Vladimir Semirunnij, who declared a desire to change citizenship, which sparked fury in his homeland. The Paralympic movement has struggled with politicization for years, but since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the divisions have become irreversible. During the 2022 Beijing Games, Russians were excluded at the last minute after threats of mass boycotts from other teams.While the front of boycott supporters expands to include more nations, countries like France have taken a different stance. Paris announced that despite the presence of Russians, the French delegation will attend the opening ceremony. This divergence within the European Union shows the difficulty in developing a unified sports strategy. Simultaneously, a crisis is growing in Poland around the Polish Olympic Committee. Sports Minister Sławomir Nitras criticizes President Radosław Piesiewicz for high earnings and lack of transparency, which, in light of sponsors withdrawing, calls into question the financial stability of preparations for future events. <cytat autor=