Winter Paralympics 50th anniversary: China in focus amid boycott over Russia’s return

The 50th edition of the Winter Paralympic Games got under way on March 6, 2026 , with the opening ceremony in Verona and competitions beginning in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo . The celebration of five decades of winter para sport features about 665 athletes from 56 countries across 79 medal events in six sports : para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross‑country skiing, para ice hockey, para snowboard, and wheelchair curling.

Political tensions have marred this milestone edition. Ukraine and several other nations skipped the opening ceremony in protest over Russia being allowed to compete under its national flag and anthem for the first time in over a decade.

Sporting action began even before the ceremony with the Paralympic debut of mixed doubles wheelchair curling . China’s duo of Wang Meng and Yang Jinqiao opened strongly with a dominant 10‑3 win over Japan and followed that up with an 8‑7 victory over hosts Italy , keeping themselves unbeaten in early round-robin play . Estonia’s pair also remains unbeaten after wins against Great Britain and Italy.

The United States wheelchair curling team started with an 11‑6 win over Latvia but then lost to Japan, leaving their record mixed heading into later matches. Great Britain secured their first win of the Games with a 6‑5 victory over Latvia after earlier losses.

A minor off‑ice incident saw two curling stones stolen from the Cortina Olympic Stadium, though authorities said competition was unaffected.

India is not represented at Milan Cortina, underlining the country’s limited presence in winter para sport due to infrastructural and development constraints.

As the Games progress, more medal events in skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, and snowboarding are set to unfold, with athletes aiming for glory amid the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and a landmark Paralympic anniversary.