The Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games are set to kick off on Friday with the opening ceremony at Verona Arena, a historic Roman amphitheatre that recently hosted the Olympic closing ceremony. Here are some key points about this 50th-anniversary edition of the Winter Paralympics:
Similar to the Winter Olympics held last month, the Paralympics are spread out across northern Italy. Cortina d’Ampezzo will host events like alpine skiing, snowboarding, and wheelchair curling, while nordic skiing will take place in Tesero. Milan’s Santagiulia arena has been renovated for Para hockey, a sport where players use bladed sleds and short hockey sticks with picks to move on the ice.
Unlike the Olympics, the Winter Paralympics feature a more condensed schedule with only six sports and nine days of medal events. The Games will see 665 athletes competing for 79 sets of medals, a record high for the Winter Paralympics. The majority of medal events (68 out of 79) are in skiing disciplines, while snowboarding will offer eight sets of medals categorized by physical impairment.
Wheelchair curling will introduce a mixed doubles event, adding more diversity to the sport. Although Canada did not qualify for this new event, they will participate in the traditional four-player mixed game. Para hockey, considered a mixed sport, has limited female participation, prompting calls for separate women’s and men’s tournaments at the 2030 Games.
Russia’s participation in the Paralympics has stirred controversy. The International Paralympic Committee initially allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag at the Beijing Winter Games due to legal and logistical concerns. However, facing backlash, the IPC later banned all athletes from Russia and Belarus just before the opening ceremony.
In Milan-Cortina, 10 athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete under their national flags, leading to boycotts from Ukraine and other countries. The Canadian Paralympic Committee opposed the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes and opted not to send any athletes to the opening ceremony.
Canada will be represented by a team of 50 athletes, including standout performers like Natalie Wilkie and Mark Arendz. Wilkie, a para nordic star, and Arendz, a top medalist, will lead the Canadian contingent. Notable members include alpine skier Florence Carrier, the youngest team member at 18, and wheelchair curler Ina Forrest, the oldest at 63.
Viewers can catch the action on CBC TV and stream live coverage on the CBC Gem app. The CBC Paralympics website offers schedules, stories, features, and highlights for fans to stay updated on the Milano-Cortina Games.