The Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games began in Italy with boycotts from Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands protesting Russian participation. Over 600 athletes gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event despite travel disruptions caused by tensions between Iran and the USA. The opening ceremony at the Verona Olympic Arena featured Stewart Copeland while police investigated the theft of curling stones in Cortina.The IPC allowed ten athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, leading multiple European nations to skip the parade of nations in solidarity with Ukraine.While
Italy secured a victory in wheelchair curling against South Korea, athletes faced logistical hurdles including airspace closures and equipment issues.