The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics opened in Verona with Russian athletes competing under their flag for the first time since 2014.Ukraine and seven other nations boycotted the ceremony as 616 athletes from 56 countries gathered for nine days of competition across six sports.The event features record female participation and specific categories for sitting, standing, and visually impaired athletes in venues like Milan and Cortina.Competitions began with wheelchair curling and alpine skiing categories while security concerns led to the withdrawal of the lone Iranian athlete.