Middle East Conflict Disrupts Milano Cortina 2026 Games

Author: International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
Published: 2 Mar 2026 - Updated: 31 Aug 2026
Publication Type: Announcement

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This statement from the International Paralympic Committee provides a timely and transparent update on how escalating missile strikes and airspace closures in the Middle East are affecting preparations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. It is particularly relevant for National Paralympic Committees, disability advocacy organizations, athletes with disabilities, and anyone following the Paralympic Movement, as it outlines the operational challenges facing delegations traveling to compete in Italy while reaffirming the IPC's commitment to delivering safe and inclusive Games for the world's 1.3 billion persons with disabilities.*

At a Glance

• 1 - The IOC backed the UN Olympic Truce urging a halt to military activity through March 15. It admitted it holds no power to enforce compliance.
• 2 - Iran and Israel each qualified one athlete, Abolfazl Khatibi and Sheina Vaspi. As of March 1, the IPC had not confirmed either athlete's travel status.
• 3 - The IPC expects athletes from 28 of the 55 competing National Paralympic Committees to march in the Opening Ceremony parade. Seven NPCs declined to attend for political reasons.
• 4 - The family of Australian Para alpine skier Michael Milton was stranded in Doha, Qatar, after their flight to Venice was turned back. They waited 24 hours in the airport before receiving a hotel room.

Topic Definition

Middle East Conflict (Feb. 2026)

The current conflict in the Middle East refers to the major military escalation that began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale joint military campaign against Iran with the stated aim of dismantling its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, an operation that resulted in the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in strikes on Tehran. Iran retaliated with waves of missiles and drones targeting Israel and military bases across several Gulf states that host U.S. forces, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, despite those nations not having participated in offensive operations against Tehran. The conflict triggered the closure of airspace across multiple countries, including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, and Qatar, and forced the shutdown of major civilian airports such as Dubai International.

Overview

Milano Cortina 2026 and the Impact of the Conflict in The Middle East

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is closely monitoring the situation of missile strikes in the Middle East and is continuing to collect, confirm and assess the available information to determine the impact on the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and the wider Paralympic Movement.

IPC Statement on Conflict and Milano Cortina 2026

We recognise this situation affects not just the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) competing at the Games but also our wider membership. We think of the impact on people first and our thoughts are with those affected.

With regards to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, we are assessing the impact on Games operations, in particular on travel, while maintaining a clear focus on delivering the best Paralympic Winter Games and ensuring the event continues to serve as a platform to drive social inclusion for the world's 1.3 billion persons with disabilities.

We are in close contact with all delegations competing at the Games as well as other stakeholders. Many of the teams are already in Europe attending training or holding camps, but the closure of airspace in the Middle East is impacting the arrival of some stakeholders.

We would prefer not to comment on the status of individual delegations or stakeholders at this stage but can provide assurance that we are working diligently with Milano Cortina 2026 to find solutions for those affected.

The Paralympic Games are the pinnacle event of the Paralympic Movement, and our top priority is for Paralympians to take centre stage as we deliver safe, secure, and spectacular Games in Italy's awe-inspiring venues.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

When do the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games take place

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games run in Italy, with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for March 6, 2026, in Verona.

What sports are contested at the Winter Paralympics

The Winter Paralympic program features Para alpine skiing, Para cross-country skiing, Para snowboard, Para ice hockey, biathlon, and wheelchair curling.

Where is the Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony held

The Opening Ceremony is staged in Verona, Italy, while competition events are spread across the Milan and Cortina d Ampezzo venue clusters.

How many nations are competing at the 2026 Winter Paralympics

A total of 55 National Paralympic Committees are competing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

What is a National Paralympic Committee

A National Paralympic Committee is the body that governs the Paralympic Movement within a country and is responsible for entering and supporting its athletes at the Games.

Who organizes the Paralympic Games

The Paralympic Games are governed by the International Paralympic Committee, which sets eligibility rules and oversees the staging of the Summer and Winter editions.

How does airspace closure affect athlete travel to the Games

Airspace closures can cancel or reroute flights, strand delegations in transit hubs, and delay arrivals, forcing organizers to arrange alternative routes and accommodation.

What is the Olympic Truce

The Olympic Truce is a United Nations backed appeal for nations to suspend hostilities around the Games so athletes can travel and compete safely, though it carries no enforcement power.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The IPC's measured response to a rapidly evolving geopolitical crisis underscores a difficult balancing act - protecting the safety and logistical needs of Paralympic delegations while preserving the Games as a global stage for athletes with disabilities. As airspace restrictions continue to disrupt travel for some stakeholders, the coming weeks will test the resilience of international coordination and determine whether every qualified Paralympian can reach Milano Cortina 2026 to compete on the world stage they have earned.

Updates (March 4, 2026)

The IPC's measured response to a rapidly evolving geopolitical crisis underscores a difficult balancing act - protecting the safety and logistical needs of Paralympic delegations while preserving the Games as a global stage for athletes with disabilities. As airspace restrictions continue to disrupt travel for some stakeholders, the coming weeks will test the resilience of international coordination and determine whether every qualified Paralympian can reach Milano Cortina 2026 to compete on the world stage they have earned

Opening Ceremony Boycott Grows Over Russian and Belarusian Participation

Alongside the Middle East crisis, the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games face a second major diplomatic challenge. The International Paralympic Committee's decision - reached through what IPC communications officer Craig Spence described as a "democratic" vote in September 2025 - to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their national flags and anthems has triggered a wave of boycotts of the opening ceremony, scheduled for March 6 in Verona.

Ukraine was the first nation to announce it would boycott the Parade of Nations, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha calling on other countries to join. As of March 4, eleven countries and the European Union have confirmed their officials will not attend the ceremony: Ukraine, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Czechia, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Germany. Austria, Romania, and Great Britain have also confirmed they will join the boycott. The European Commissioner for Sport, Glenn Micallef, has separately announced he will not attend.

Germany was among the latest to join, with its state minister for sport, Christiane Schenderlein, declining to attend. The decision to allow full Russian and Belarusian participation marks a reversal of the policy in place since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which had either barred those nations' athletes entirely or required them to compete as neutrals.

List of Countries Sending, and Not Sending, Athletes to the 2026 Paralympics

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) expects athletes from 28 of the 55 competing National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) to march during the Athlete Parade of tonight's Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony. Seven NPCs have indicated they will not attend for political reasons. They are: Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.

• ANDORRA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• ARGENTINA - Enrique Plantey (Para alpine skiing), Nicolas Lima (Para cross-country skiing)
• ARMENIA - Garik Melkonyan (Para cross-country skiing)
• AUSTRALIA - Georgia Gunew (Para alpine skiing), Liana France (Para alpine skiing)
• AUSTRIA - Michael Scharnagl (Para alpine skiing), Markus Schmidhofer (Para snowboard)
• BELGIUM - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• BELARUS - Lidziya Loban (Para cross-country skiing), Valiantsina Biryla (Para cross-country skiing)
• BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - Ilma Kazazic (Para alpine skiing)
• BRAZIL - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• BULGARIA - Stela Yanchovichina (Para alpine skiing)
• CANADA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• CZECHIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• CHILE - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• CHINA - Tiantian Li (Para snowboard), Xiang Li (Para alpine skiing)
• REPUBLIC OF KOREA - Chungmin Lee (Para snowboard), Chaeyi Park (Para alpine skiing)
• CROATIA - Dino Sokolovic (Para alpine skiing), Lucija Smetisko (Para alpine skiing)
• DENMARK - Adam Nybo (Para alpine skiing)
• EL SALVADOR - David Chavez (Para cross-country skiing), Jonathan Arias (Para cross-country skiing)
• ESTONIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• FINLAND - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• FRANCE - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• GEORGIA - Temuri Dadiani (Para snowboard), Valerian Lomaia (Para snowboard)
• GERMANY - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• JAPAN - Shunsuke Nakamura (Para ice hockey), Akari Fukunishi (Para ice hockey)
• GREAT BRITAIN - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• GREECE - Evangelia Nikou (Para alpine skiing), Konstantinos Petrakis (Para snowboard)
• HAITI - Ralf Etienne (Para alpine skiing)
• ICELAND - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• ISRAEL - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• ITALY - Chiara Mazzel (Para alpine skiing), Rene' De Silvestro (Para alpine skiing)
• KAZAKHSTAN - Anna Graceva (Para cross-country skiing), Nurlan Alimov (Para cross-country skiing)
• LATVIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• LIECHTENSTEIN - Sarah Hundert (Para alpine skiing)
• LITHUANIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• NORTH MACEDONIA - Zoran Jovanovski (Para alpine skiing)
• MEXICO - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• MONGOLIA - Dashdorj Tsegmid (Para cross-country skiing), Ganbold Batmunkh (Para cross-country skiing)
• MONTENEGRO - Andrej Sibalic (Para snowboard)
• NORWAY - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• NEW ZEALAND - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• NETHERLANDS - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• POLAND - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• PUERTO RICO - Orlando Perez (Para alpine skiing)
• PORTUGAL - Diogo Carmona (Para snowboard)
• ROMANIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• RUSSIA - Anastasiia Bagiian (Para cross-country skiing), Sergei Siniakin (Para cross-country skiing)
• SERBIA - Luka Bilcar (Para alpine skiing)
• SLOVAKIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• SLOVENIA - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• SPAIN - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• SWEDEN - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• SWITZERLAND - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• UKRAINE - Not sending athletes to the Ceremony.
• UZBEKISTAN - Yulduz Makhmudova (Para alpine skiing), Firdavs Khudoyatov (Para alpine skiing)
• USA - Laurie Stephens (Para alpine skiing), Josh Pauls (Para Ice Hockey)

IOC Calls for Respect of Olympic Truce

The International Olympic Committee issued a formal statement on March 3 reiterating its support for the UN-backed Olympic Truce, which calls on all nations to suspend military activity through March 15. However, the IOC acknowledged it has no power to enforce compliance. The statement appealed to all UN member states to support athletes who have qualified for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics and who may face difficulties reaching Italy due to the conflict.

Travel Disruptions Affecting Athletes and Families

Concrete examples of the conflict's impact on Paralympic stakeholders have emerged. NPR reported that the family of Australian Paralympic Alpine skier Michael Milton - his wife and two teenage children - were stranded in Doha, Qatar, after their flight to Venice was turned around due to airspace closures. They spent 24 hours in the airport before being given a hotel room, with no timeline for reaching Italy.

Both Iran and Israel each qualified a single athlete for the Games: Abolfazl Khatibi, a 23-year-old para-cross-country skier from Iran, and Sheina Vaspi, a 24-year-old para-Alpine skier from Israel. As of March 1, the IPC had not confirmed the travel status of either athlete.

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and published on 2 Mar 2026, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.