The upcoming Milano-Cortina Paralympics will see the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags for the first time since 2014, sparking significant backlash. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the International Paralympic Committee’s decision, calling it “dirty” and “unjust,” while Ukrainian officials and other European leaders expressed outrage and planned boycotts of the event. The IPC justified the inclusion by granting “bipartite” invitations to a limited number of athletes from both nations, despite ongoing international sanctions. Critics argue that allowing these athletes to compete under their flags normalizes Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
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