Paralympics brace for tense opening as Russia comes in from the coldCORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, March 6, 2026 (AFP) - The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics start on Friday with an opening ceremony clouded by a boycott by several countries in protest at Russian athletes competing under their national flag for the first time since 2014. And athletes from countries including Canada, Britain, Germany and France will skip the opening ceremony to "prioritise athletic performance", IPC communications officer Craig Spence said. "I do think that it needs a lot of discussion because this is the third time in four Paralympic Winter Games that there is a conflict initiated in between the Olympics and Paralympics." Double Summer Paralympic gold medallist Lauren Parker will make her Winter Games debut when she represents Australia in the biathlon and cross-country events. El Salvador's cross-country skier David Chavez will make history in Val di Fiemme when he becomes the first person from the Central American country to take part in a Winter Games -- either Olympics or Paralympics.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 06, 2026 03:36 UTC