The German Paralympics team will boycott the athletes' parade at the opening ceremony in Verona to protest the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. The German Disabled Sports Association DBS cites solidarity with Ukraine. Sports Minister Christiane Schenderlein will also skip the event.
The German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) announced three days before the start of the 2026 Paralympics that the German team will not join the athletes' parade of nations at the opening ceremony in Verona. The boycott targets the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags. Sanctions against the associations of both countries were lifted in September of the previous year.
"This decision serves both the focus on the upcoming competitions and the aim to respectfully express solidarity with the Ukrainian delegation," states a DBS press release. Ukraine has been defending against the Russian invasion for four years, with Belarus acting as an ally. The team will, however, participate in the pre-recorded segments shown during the ceremony.
State Minister for Sport and Volunteering Christiane Schenderlein (CDU) supports the move and will also skip the opening ceremony but plans to attend the competitions. "The IPC decision has sparked international criticism, which I share," she said. "We respect the autonomy of sport. At the same time, we see that this decision faces significant reservations internationally."
Previously, Ukraine and Estonia announced they would fully boycott the opening ceremony. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha urged other nations to join the protest. At the Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Russian athletes could only compete as neutrals and individuals. The Paralympics begin on Friday and run until March 15.
The DBS emphasized: "Especially in challenging times, it remains our common task to visibly live the Paralympic values and resolutely protect the integrity of sport."