World curling

World Para Ice Hockey: In a significant decision this September, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly voted not to maintain the partial suspension of the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) of Belarus and Russia. The move reinstated both NPCs’ full membership rights and privileges, meaning Para athletes from the two countries are once again free to compete in the Paralympic Games - provided they qualify according to the rules of their respective international federations.

Under the Paralympic system, each sport’s international federation is responsible for determining both the qualification pathway and the eligibility of athletes for its events. Following the IPC General Assembly’s decision, the Committee sought confirmation from the four international federations governing the sports featured at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games - the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), International Biathlon Union (IBU), World Curling, and World Para Ice Hockey.

The responses from the federations, however, made one reality clear: in practice, athletes from Belarus and Russia are not likely to qualify for the Games next March.