Russia 'fast-tracking' injured soldiers into Paralympics as UK government to boycott opening ceremony
Russia is reportedly 'fast-tracking' injured war veterans into future Paralympic Games, according to an investigation.
Poland-based news outlet Vot Tak said Russia is spending millions to recruit injured soldiers from hospital wards into Paralympic sport via regional and national teams.
As reported by the BBC, the Russian Paralympic Committee has said that 'at least 70' veterans are now competing in national teams.
It comes after last month's announcement that six Russians and four Belarusians will compete at the Paralympics after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifted suspensions in 2025. This means that it will be the first time a Russian flag has been flown at a Paralympics since Sochi 2014.
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IPC president Andrew Parsons told the outlet that 'there are many countries that recruit athletes from the armed forces, so if Russia does that, they won't be the only one'.
"When the general assembly took the decision to lift the suspensions of Russia and Belarus, the decision was to treat them like any other National Paralympic Committee," Parsons said.
"There are many countries that recruit athletes from the armed forces, so if Russia does that, they won't be the only one.
"We have to remember where we come from.
"Our movement started after World War Two, specifically with injured military personnel."
He continued: "So what the Paralympic movement offers is possibility after war.
"We are against any war, any conflict, but what we offer is an opportunity for those who are injured in war to be reintegrated into society through sport.
"It doesn't matter to us what they have done in the past in the combat field.
"Of course crimes of war are something different, but what we offer with the movement is a second chance."
With the Games set to kick off in Cortina at 9am on Saturday morning, Team GB and six other nations confirmed that they will not be taking part in the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony this evening (6 March).
A statement from a UK government spokesperson said: “We strongly oppose the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their own flags at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
"We have been clear that Russian and Belarusian states should not be represented in international sport while the barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine is ongoing.
"Therefore, no Government Ministers or officials will attend the Opening or Closing Ceremonies of the Paralympics."
They added that the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock, will be in Cortina 'purely to support our inspirational Paralympics GB athletes, as she was there to support Team GB at the Winter Olympics last month'.
Topics: Sport, Olympics, Paralympics
Anish Vij