France to Boycott Paralympics 2026 Opening Ceremony Over Russia, Belarus Flags

• France's sports minister announced a boycott of the Milan-Cortina Paralympics 2026 opening ceremony.
• The protest is against the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.
• The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) permitted six Russians and four Belarusians to participate this way.
• Ukraine, Czech Republic, Finland, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia are also boycotting the opening ceremony.
• French sports minister Marina Ferrari expressed disagreement with the IPC's position, with the boycott extending to the closing ceremony "at this stage."