Russian Athletes Booed as Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics Open with Boycotts

The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics opened with Russian and Belarusian athletes parading under their national flags for the first time since 2014, following an IPC decision despite Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This led to boos from some spectators and boycotts of the ceremony by Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. IPC President Andrew Parsons defended the move, emphasizing recognition of athletes over political leaders. The ceremony featured performances and was attended by Italian leaders.