It is important to note that the status of the Paralympic committees of Russia and Belarus has been fully restored by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which had suspended it in February 2022.
However, the Iranian team has decided not to participate in the 2026 Paralympics. Among the participants from Iran was supposed to be 23-year-old skier Abulfazl Khatibi Mianei, who had previously competed in the Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang (2018) and Beijing (2022).
Due to the start of a military operation against Iran, the airspace in the region has been closed. IPC representatives reported that they, along with the organizing committee of the Games, tried to find alternative routes for the arrival of the Iranian delegation, but all efforts were unsuccessful.
As part of the XIV Winter Paralympic Games in Italy, 79 sets of medals will be contested in various sports, including para cross-country skiing, para biathlon, wheelchair curling, para snowboarding, alpine skiing, and para ice hockey.
