The Ukrainian Paralympic team has reportedly been told they can’t wear their uniform with a map of Ukraine’s 1991 borders for ‘political’ reasons.
The President of the National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine said the team was told ‘no one’ would allow them to wear the uniform.
The design, made by Viktor Anisimov, shows Ukraine as it was in 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed.
Those borders included the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbas Regions, both of which have since been illegally occupied by Russian forces.
The President of the Paralympic Committee, Valerii Sushkevych, told Ukrinform: ‘We prepared our sports – or rather, not sports but ceremonial – uniform for our team. The International Paralympic Committee said: ‘No, no, no – this will not do.’
‘They said the uniform was political and that no one would allow us to appear wearing it.
‘The uniform was very beautiful, very symbolic, and very emphatically ‘shouted’ that Ukraine exists in the world, in Europe, with all its territories without occupation by Russia.’
Sushkevych argued that ‘certain’ Paralympic officials are ensuring Ukraine cannot present itself as a country without occupation.
The team was forced to find new uniforms before the games kick off on March 6.
‘We barely managed to produce the new uniforms, barely. We urgently transported them by bus to Italy, where our entire team is already staying,’ Sushkevych said.
‘We could have dressed the boys and girls here in the uniforms that were already ready, but we were banned from using them.’
The Paralympic committee bans items related to ‘national identity’, or those that feature national anthem lyrics, motivational words and public or political messages or slogans related to national identity.
IPC Chief Brand and Communications Officer Craig Spence told Metro: ‘A country’s map falls within this category, which is why one item of Ukraine’s uniform for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games was not approved several months ago.’
During the Milan Olympic Games in February, a Ukrainian star was disqualified over a ‘helmet of memory’ for those killed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
Vladyslav Heraskevych wore the helmet in all of his training runs, but less than an hour before the first round of the men’s skeleton competition, the International Olympic Committee confirmed he would no longer be involved.
Heraskevych has confirmed he plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He told reporters after learning of the decision: ‘It’s hard to say or put into words. It’s emptiness.’
Mykhailo Heraskevych, Vladyslav’s father, was filmed weeping after the decision was made.
In 2024, athlete Manizha Talash, a member of the refugee Olympic team at the Paris Games, was controversially disqualified from the breakdancing event.
Talash displayed the words ‘Free Afghan Women’ on her cape during her routine in the competition’s pre-qualifiers on Friday.
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