No Russian or Belarusian athletes will compete at Paralympics

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE OF IPC LOGO AND IPC PRESIDENT ANDREW PARSONS/ 2026 MILANO-CORTINA PARALYMPICS VENUE/ RUSSIAN PARALYMPIC TEAM IN MOSCOW AFTER BEING SENT HOME FROM WINTER OLYMPICS IN 2022 RESENDING WITH SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FILE – JUNE 11, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. VARIOUS OF MILAN 2026 WINTER PARALYMPICS LOGO INSTALLATION OUTSIDE MILAN TOWN HALL MILAN, ITALY (FILE – MARCH 5, 2025) (REUTERS – access all) (MUTE) 2. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF IPC PRESIDENT ANDREW PARSONS AT A PRESS CONFERENCE BEIJING, CHINA (MARCH 3, 2022) (IPC – Access all) 3. INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (IPC) PRESIDENT ANDREW PARSONS ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE INTERNET, IPC WEBSITE (SEPTEMBER 28, 2025) (IPC – access all) (MUTE) 4. SCREENSHOT OF IPC STATEMENT CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY (FILE – JANUARY 24, 2025) (REUTERS – ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 5. DRONE FOOTAGE OVER OLYMPIC RINGS 6. VARIOUS DRONE FOOTAGE OF 'OLIMPIA DELLE TOFANE' SLOPE, WHICH WILL HOST WOMEN'S OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC ALPINE SKIING COMPETITIONS ROME, ITALY (FILE – FEBRUARY 9, 2024) (GOVERNMENT TV – Access all) (MUTE) 7. MASCOTS FOR THE 2026 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES, TWO STOATS CALLED TINA AND MILO, WAITING TO MEET ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI 8. 'MILANO CORTINA 2026' AND OLYMPIC RINGS EMBROIDERED ON TINA'S BELLY, 9. MELONI POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH TINA AND MILO MILAN, ITALY (FILE – MARCH 7, 2024) (REUTERS – Access all) 10. 2026 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES MASCOT MILO ARRIVES AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE OF THE BUILDING WHERE ATHLETES WILL STAY AT THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN MILAN 11. VARIOUS OF BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION 12. OLYMPIC GAMES MASCOTS MILO AND TINA TAKING PART IN THE EVENT MARKING THE COMPLETION OF THE STRUCTURES AT THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE CONSTRUCTION SITE MILAN, ITALY (FILE – NOVEMBER 7, 2024) (REUTERS – Access all) 13. VARIOUS OF PAINTINGS ON WALL DEPICTING DIFFERENT WINTER OLYMPIC SPORTS MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE – MARCH 6, 2022) (REUTERS – Access all) 14. RUSSIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE ATHLETES IN ARRIVALS HALL AFTER RETURNING FROM BEIJING HAVING BEEN BARRED FROM COMPETING IN THE WINTER PARALAYMPICS 15. SIGN, READING (Russian and English): "Exit for passengers arrived by international flights/ International arrivals" 16. VARIOUS OF ATHLETES ENTERING ARRIVALS HALL 17. SUPPORTERS, CHANTING (Russian): "RUSSIA! RUSSIA!" 18. SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS STORY: Russian and Belarusian athletes will not participate in next year's Paralympic Winter Games, even as neutral competitors, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Thursday (October 23) after consultation with the international federations. Both countries were banned from Paralympic competitions after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but regained full membership rights in the International Paralympic Committee after member organizations voted to lift their partial suspensions last month. Belarus is a key staging area for the invasion. However, the international federation for each sport on the Paralympic Games program is responsible for determining the qualification pathway for its sport, as well as the eligibility of athletes to compete. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) voted on Tuesday not to facilitate the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) in its qualification events for Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games. The International Biathlon Union (IBU) confirmed that Russian and Belarusian Biathlon Federations remain suspended from its competitions, and in January, World Curling extended the exclusion of athletes from both countries until the end of the 2024-25 season. This means neither nation can qualify for the Games. Russia and Belarus can compete in Para ice hockey competitions, but they are not among the teams involved in November's Paralympic Games qualification tournament. The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 6-15. (Production: Simon Ormiston)

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