The Ukrainian para powerlifting team decided to skip the 2025 World Championship due to Russia and Belarus being admitted to the tournament under their national flags, in accordance with the decision of the International Paralympic Committee, which restored the right of these countries to compete under their own flag at international competitions. This stance was voiced by the team’s head coach Oleksandr Alfyorov in an exclusive interview.
The decision is tied to the fact that athletes from Russia and Belarus will be admitted to the tournament, competing under their flags in line with the IPC’s decision. Such a move creates a risk for the selection for the upcoming Paralympics.
This move means that Ukraine may miss the main event of the four-year cycle – the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, as the 2025 World Championship is a mandatory tournament in the qualification cycle.
According to Alfyorov, the participation of Russians at the World Championship creates a situation in which Ukraine may not have a chance to go to the Games in Los Angeles due to violation of the fundamental rule of participation in mandatory events. He stressed that the General Assembly’s decision was made against nearly 140 countries worldwide that voted in the UN that Russia is an aggressor country.
“What does the participation of Russians in the World Championship mean? Probably that we won’t be able to participate in the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Because we violated the fundamental rule: not taking part in mandatory competitions. But we are doing this consciously, because there is a great violation by the International Paralympic Committee; they violated their Constitution. We are outraged by the General Assembly’s decision, because the decision it adopted was made against nearly 140 countries worldwide that voted in the UN that Russia is an aggressor country.”
“We are not going, we will fight for our rights, for them [Russia and Belarus] to be excluded until the end of the war. So that they compete not under their flag, but under the flag of the International Paralympic Committee”
– Oleksandr Alfyorov
“Meanwhile, the head coach of the Ukrainian team emphasized that the decision to skip the competition is “deliberate”, but made in consideration of the current legislation. Since 2023, the Ministry of Youth and Sports order has been in effect, which prohibits Ukrainian athletes from participating in competitions where Russians and Belarusians are represented under their own symbols.”
– Oleksandr Alfyorov
“Is the reason for the boycott the order of the Ministry of Youth and Sports? I live in a law-abiding state and will follow the laws by which we live. We act according to the law and consciously”
– Oleksandr Alfyorov
“We are not talking about a boycott at all. We say that the International Paralympic Committee is led by a president from Russia”
– Oleksandr Alfyorov
Current context and the team’s history
Para powerlifting became one of the first adaptive sports where Russia and Belarus were allowed to compete at the World Championship under their own flags.
Throughout its history, the Ukrainian para powerlifting team has won nine medals at the Paralympic Games, four of which are gold.
At the previous Paralympics in Paris, Ukraine earned two medals: silver by Anton Kryukov in the over 107 kg category and bronze by Yuriy Babynets in the 88 kg category.
At the 2023 World Para Powerlifting Championship, Ukraine won seven medals and placed fifth in the overall standings.
Experts emphasize that the decision regarding Russia’s and Belarus’s participation could affect Ukraine’s prospects at the 2028 Games and may require revising the qualification process and international agreements in the Paralympic movement.