The Paralympics Banned Ukraine’s Team From Wearing Its Ceremonial Uniform Because It Features A Map Of Ukraine
Ukraine's team resubmitted a new design within 24 hours, and it was approved.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has banned Ukraine's Paralympic team from wearing their ceremonial uniform at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics, saying the design was political.
One of the team uniform designs features a map of Ukraine, including all territories currently occupied by Russia.
Under IPC rules, national anthem lyrics, motivational words and public or political messages or slogans related to national identity are prohibited.
The President of Ukraine's National Paralympic Committee Valerii Sushkevych said the uniform design was beautiful and symbolic, adding it "very clearly shouted that Ukraine exists in the world and in Europe with all its territories, without Russian occupation," according to the Kyiv Independent.
However, the IPC said the design was political, breaking IPC rules, and forced the team to modify it.
“A country’s map falls within this category, which is why one item of Ukraine’s uniform for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games was not approved several months ago,” IPC officials said.
Ukraine's team resubmitted a new design within 24 hours, and it was approved.
The 2026 Paralympic Games kicked off on Friday, March 6, with its opening ceremony at the Arena di Verona in Italy.
The 35-member Ukrainian Paralympic team boycotted the ceremony, along with the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Poland and Lithuania, following the IPC’s decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their respective country flags.
During the 2026 Winter Olympics in February, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified after he refused to remove a "helmet of remembrance" depicting images of Ukrainian athletes who were killed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Team Ukraine still competed in the Paralympics and made a strong start, winning 10 medals two days into the Games, which will run until Thursday, March 15.
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