Ukraine places 7th in Paralympic medal standings as Games conclude following controversy
on Google
Ukraine placed seventh in the medal standings at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, which concluded March 15 amid several weeks of controversy surrounding Ukrainian athletes' ability to express themselves.
On March 7, Ukraine's Paralympic athletes took an early lead, winning six medals on the first day of competitions.
In the end, Ukraine secured three gold medals, eight silver medals, and another eight bronze medals, securing a total of 19.
All the medals were secured at the Para Biathlon and the Para Cross-Country Skiing competitions.
The 2026 Paralympic Games saw the return of athletes competing under Russia's flag for the first time since 2014, despite Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
Russian athletes were first barred from competing under their flag following a doping scandal. The athletes faced a full ban at the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games following the onset of Russia's full-scale war.
In September, the IPC reinstated the membership rights of Russia and Belarus.
At the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Ukrainian athletes faced pressure from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
On March 11, Ukraine denounced the IPC for the mistreatment of Ukrainian athletes and fans at the Paralympic Games, calling the organization's conduct a "disgrace."
"The International Paralympic Committee not only allowed blood-stained Russian and Belarusian flags, but tries to ban Ukrainian flags and even yellow and blue colours," a co-statement by the Foreign Ministry and Youth and Sports Ministry read.
Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee reported on March 11 that the Ukrainian Paralympic team, its athletes, and coaches have been subjected to "systematic pressure" from representatives of the IPC and the organizing committee.
One Paralympic athlete, Oleksandra Kononova, encountered resistance when an IPC representative "aggressively" attempted to confiscate earrings depicting the Ukrainian flag and the words "stop war," according to the statement.
Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukraine's Olympic skeleton racer, was barred from taking part in the competition after refusing to change his helmet, depicting the faces of Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's full-scale invasion.
read also
Kate Tsurkan
Kateryna Hodunova
