Iran's Athlete Withdraws from Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics

Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, a 23-year-old athlete from Iran, will no longer participate in the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics due to safety concerns stemming from escalating hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed this decision on March 6, stating that Khatibi Mianaei would not be able to travel safely to Italy for the cross-country skiing event.

IPC President Andrew Parson noted that he spent a day trying to find a safe route for the Iranian delegation to reach Italy. The decision to withdraw means that Iran's flag will not be present during the athlete parade at the opening ceremony in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Parson referenced previous examples of conflict affecting participation, such as Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine. Craig Spence, IPC's communications officer, expressed hope that attention would remain on the athletes competing in six sports across venues in northern Italy until March 15, following the conclusion of the 2026 Winter Olympics stage.