What to know
- Canadian paralympic athletes will not be taking part in the Paralympic opening ceremony in Verona on March 6.
- The Canadian Paralympic Committee cited the team’s plan to focus on their performance.
- The International Paralympic Committee unexpectedly lifted its ban on letting athletes compete under the Russian and Belarusian flag for the 2026 games.
Canada will not be walking in the Paralympic opening ceremony in Verona.
Drew Heroux, a CBC Olympics reporter, broke the news on social media on Thursday. He confirmed that no members of Team Canada will be present at the ceremony, citing the team’s plan to focus on their performance, rather than travel two hours for the ceremony.
“There will be no Canadian athletes or officials at the Paralympics Opening Ceremony in Verona — that includes flag bearers. With the Opening Ceremony two hours away from the competition venues and competition the next day, Canada is prioritizing performance over the event,” Heroux wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Although it is not uncommon for athletes to miss opening ceremonies at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, people have found the timing a bit suspect. Some are speculating that Canada is subtly protesting the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their country’s flags.
Earlier this month, The IPC unexpectedly lifted its ban on Russia and Belarus, allocating a combined 10 spots between the two countries.
The Canadian Paralympic Committee has spoken out about this decision, writing in a statement their unwavering support for Ukrainian athletes.
“We stand in solidarity with Ukrainian athletes and the Ukrainian people. The Canadian Paralympic Committee argued and voted against the reinstatement of the Russian and Belarusian National Paralympic Committees at the IPC General Assembly in September, and we continue today to believe the conditions have not been met for their reinstatement. Our position is rooted in principle: the values of safe, fair, clean, and inclusive sport, and we continue to stand by those principles.”
On Friday, para ice hockey captain Tyler McGregor and para nordic skier Natalie Wilkie were announced as flagbearers. Instead of carrying the maple leaf in Verona, they will be representing Canada at different olympic villages.
The opening ceremony will take place on March 6 at Arena di Verona.
