The Great Return: Russian Paralympians allowed to perform with a flag

Justice for Russian athletes has finally been restored. At the General Assembly of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), held on September 26-27 in Seoul, it was decided to allow athletes from Russia to participate in the Paralympic Games under the national flag and with the anthem. This was announced in an official statement by the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC). The details of the last vote and the events of the assembly can be found in the Izvestia article.

The triumph of justice

Russian Paralympians will be able to compete again under the national flag and with the national anthem at competitions held under the auspices of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), including the Paralympic Games.

This decision was made at the IPC General Assembly, held on September 26-27 in Seoul.

At the meeting, the delegates made two key decisions: they rejected the proposal to completely suspend the membership of the Russian Paralympic Committee (111 votes against, 55 in favor, 11 abstained), and also voted against extending partial restrictions (91 votes against, 77 in favor, 8 abstained).

Thus, the RCC regains its rights as a full-fledged member of an international organization.

The event also voted for the full restoration of the membership of the Belarusian Paralympic Committee.

The RPC called this fair and noted that now Russian athletes will be able to go to the start with a flag, anthem and other national attributes. This applies to disciplines where the functions of international federations are performed by the IPC, including athletics, swimming, powerlifting, sledge hockey and bullet shooting.

At the same time, at the World Athletics Championships, which takes place in New Delhi from September 26 to October 5, Russian athletes continue to compete only in the individual competition and neutral status. The IPC explained this by the inability to promptly change the competition protocols, including flags, anthems, uniforms and medal tables. The RCC will seek the admission of the Russian national team to future tournaments under the auspices of the IPC using all national symbols.

Recall that in September 2023, the IPC suspended the membership of the PKR for two years, justifying this by "non-fulfillment of statutory obligations." Nevertheless, Russian athletes were allowed to participate in the Paralympic Games in Paris in an individual neutral status. At that time, 86 Russians competed at the Games, winning 64 medals.

"Happy Hunger Games to you!"

The news about the restoration of the rights of the Russian Paralympic Committee has caused a wide response among sports experts and journalists. Most people note that the IPC's decision has a positive significance for Russian athletes, but at the same time raises new questions for the entire international sports movement.

Alexander Kuzmak, a well-known Russian sports commentator, stressed that the actions of the International Paralympic Committee should not be directly linked to the position of the IOC.:

— The news itself is certainly good. But there are two things to keep in mind here. Firstly, the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee have nothing to do with each other. These are two different organizations, they have nothing to do with each other... And the IOC will not do something just because the IPC has made such a decision," the expert emphasizes.

At the same time, the situation for the IOC still looks contradictory and may affect the speed of changes in the entire movement, believes Alexander Kuzmak.

— The IOC finds itself in a ridiculous position. It turns out that the two committees are "blowing different pipes." The Olympic Games with a neutral status for Russians are first held in the same city, and then the Paralympic Games with a flag and anthem. The arguments about the impossibility of rewriting the protocols look untenable, and the situation around the status of Russian athletes in the Olympic movement will develop rapidly," the expert notes.

When and how will the next games be held

The next major global sports forums have already been identified. Italy will host the 2026 Winter Olympics. The competition will be held from 6 to 22 February in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The Winter Paralympic Games will also be held there — they are scheduled for March 6-15, 2026. This will be the first time in the history of the Winter Olympics in two cities at once.

The Summer Games will be held two years later in the USA. Los Angeles will become the host city of the 2028 Olympics, which is scheduled from July 14th to 30th. The Paralympic Games in the same city will begin on August 15 and end on August 27, 2028. Los Angeles has already hosted the Olympics twice, in 1932 and 1984, and will now become the first city to host the Games for the third time.

It is expected that almost all the national Olympic committees of the world will traditionally take part in the Olympic Games — about 200 countries and more than 10,000 athletes. The Paralympic competitions also promise to be large-scale.

For example, about 4,400 Paralympians took part in Paris in 2024, and about 600 participants in six winter disciplines are expected in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in 2026.

IOC-IPC relations

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) are two different organizations, but they are closely linked and cooperate.

The IOC was established much earlier (in 1894), it is responsible for the Olympic Games and the development of the Olympic movement. The IPC was founded in 1989 and organizes the Paralympic Games, as well as the development of sports for people with disabilities.

The key link between the organizations is a cooperation agreement. Since 2001, the IOC and the IPC have signed an agreement according to which the Paralympic Games are held in the same cities and at the same venues as the Olympic Games. The document has been extended many times, and now the agreement is valid until 2032.

Thus, the countries hosting the Olympics automatically commit themselves to hosting the Paralympics. In addition, the IOC financially supports the IPC by allocating part of the proceeds from the Olympic Games to the development of Paralympic sports. This helps to hold the Games at a high level and provides the Paralympians with equal conditions with the Olympians in terms of infrastructure and organization.