The International Paralympic Committee rejected the design, which included the map, calling it too political
Ukraine’s national team has been forced to urgently replace its ceremonial uniform for the Winter Paralympics in Italy after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) rejected a design featuring a map of the country based on Kiev’s territorial claims.
The uniform design included a map that included former Ukrainian regions that formally voted to become part of Russia, namely Crimea – which rejoined Russia in 2014 after a public referendum – as well as the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, which voted to join from Ukraine and 202 Russia.
On Monday, Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee President Valery Sushkevich told the media that the IPC had told the uniform design. “Politics and no one will allow us to get out of it.”
The IPC confirmed the decision citing its rules banning political messages. “According to the IPC rules on uniforms for the Paralympic Games, texts of national anthems, motivational words, public/political messages or slogans related to national identity are prohibited” IPC Public Relations Director Craig Spence noted this “A map of the country falls under this category.”
The incident follows a similar controversy at the recent Winter Olympics, where Ukrainian skeleton pilot Vladislav Geraskevych was disqualified for refusing to remove a helmet emblazoned with images of athletes killed in the conflict with Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in the Paralympic Winter Games under their national flag for the first time since 2014, after the IPC awarded them limited slots for the Milano Cortina 2026 event.
There will be athletes “Regarded as a person from any other country” IPC said last month.
Ukraine, as well as the EU’s sports commissioner and several other nations, including Latvia, Poland, Estonia and Canada, responded to the move by announcing a boycott of the Paralympics opening ceremony.
Moscow has long accused Western nations of pressuring federations to ban Russian athletes for political reasons, criticizing international sports bodies. “Politicizing” Sports.
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