US EditionBoycott Looms Over Paralympics Amid Russian Athlete Controversy
Broadcasters from Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Finland boycott the opening ceremony to protest IPC's approval of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their flags.
- On March 3, Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT stated it will not air the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony, in solidarity with Latvia, Estonia, and Finland, according to Gytis Oganauskas.
- Following policy shifts since 2022, the IPC decided to authorize six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags, after bans in 2022 and neutral entries at the Paris Games.
- Rivo Saarna, head of ERR’s sports editorial department, explained ERR will not air competitions if Russian and Belarusian athletes compete under national flags but will broadcast opening and closing ceremonies with contextual reporting on international sports governing bodies and the war.
- The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games feature 665 athletes competing for 79 sets of medals, with Ukraine's delegation the largest-ever, running through March 15.
- Reported on March 3, the public broadcasters in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland will limit coverage of the Milan-Cortina Paralympics, providing only ceremonies and contextual reporting on governing-body decisions and the war.
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18 Articles
The Independent
The Independent (US)Paralympics opening ceremony at risk of being overshadowed by boycott
The Winter Paralympics opening ceremony is due to take place on Friday evening in Italy
Boycott Looms Over Paralympics Amid Russian Athlete Controversy
Boycott Looms Over Paralympics Amid Russian Athlete Controversy The Winter Paralympics are facing international tensions as eight countries announce plans to boycott the opening ceremony over the inclusion of Russian athletes competing under their national flag. Notably, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, and Ukraine are preparing to skip the event.Adding to the complexity, ongoing U.S.-Israeli mili…
Lithuania’s LRT Boycotts Winter Paralympics Opening Over Russian, Belarusian Participation
Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT has announced it will not air the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympic Games in protest of the participation of Russian and Belarusian representatives. According to a statement reported on March 3 the decision was made in solidarity with public broadcasters in Latvia, Estonia, and Finland. We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field. DONATE NOW “We cannot agree with the…
This decision was adopted in solidarity with the public broadcasters of Latvia, Estonia and Finland.
Ukraine and several other countries will boycott the opening ceremony on Friday.
This Friday, March 6, the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympic Games will begin in Italy, with Russian and Belarusian athletes allowed to represent their countries. In solidarity with the Baltic countries, LRT will not broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.
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