Frech’s tango with Daniella Karagach to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” drew strong reactions, but the moment turned emotional when his mentor Purdy watched from the crowd.

Frech and Karagach earned 20 out of 30 points, giving them the second-highest score that night. For Purdy, who has watched Frech grow from a young fan of her own DWTS run into a two-time Paralympic champion, the score mattered less than the moment.

Purdy made her feelings clear with a message on Instagram. “I am #TeamEzra for life! He absolutely killed it!” she wrote after his dance, praising the energy inside the ballroom while cheering him on.

But Purdy’s emotions ran deeper than the score.

Twelve years earlier, she had stood on that same DWTS stage and made history herself as the first double-amputee contestant in the show’s history in 2014, reaching the finale with Derek Hough before finishing second. Watching Frech follow in her trailblazing footsteps represented a full-circle milestone for disability representation on national television.

Frech watched Purdy compete on the show when he was still a young boy, making his appearance on the same stage a full-circle moment for both mentor and mentee. The mentor who once inspired him was now watching him create his own legacy, promising to keep supporting him far beyond his first performance.

Frech and Karagach’s strong routine came after the pair worked through unique mechanical challenges during rehearsals. Karagach was extremely happy with their opening routine, saying she was “on cloud nine” afterward as their preparation helped them step into the ballroom without letting the pressure take over.

What made the performance stand out was how they adapted to Frech’s above-the-knee amputation, which creates specific balance and movement constraints when using a prosthetic. Unlike a below-the-knee amputee, he cannot control the lower portion of his prosthetic during movements, and he warned Karagach that the prosthetic could buckle if he was slightly off during a step.

That concern became real during rehearsals, forcing Karagach to rethink how they approached certain movements. She noticed Frech could not simply walk smoothly in a straight line using his running blade, so the pair began using side-steps instead of relying heavily on straightforward movements.

Karagach built their choreography around Frech’s movement instead of simply changing one small section. Rather than hiding his disability, the pair deliberately made his prosthetic part of their performance, giving their routine a different flow while allowing Frech to perform movements he could control naturally.

Frech’s DWTS journey carries a bigger meaning for people who feel different or look different, as he wants viewers with physical disabilities to feel represented on a national stage. Before the premiere, Frech thanked Karagach for being his “fearless leader,” best teacher, and “big sis.”

Their preparation showed in every step, proving what thoughtful adaptation and hard work could produce.

The post Paralympic Champion Ezra Frech Gets Full Circle Moment With Dancing With the Stars Debut appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The 32-year-old has been doing that for the better part of a year now since her debut, and the Commonwealth Games’ gold is just the latest. Less than three years ago, her diagnosis of muscular dystrophy left her reeling. “I was a mess,” she had said.

“Muscles don’t work the way they used to, but the human body is amazingly adaptable and finds ways to compensate,” Neyland told Nine.com.au. “I’m not in pain per se; I just have to find alternative ways to stabilise and complete movements.

“What’s quite scary is that you don’t know what muscle might atrophy next, and you don’t know how quickly or how slowly it will happen. I guess there’s an anxiety of what’s going to happen next, and then also a lot of grief when that does happen, and you can go down the mindset of worrying what your future will look like.”

Her symptoms first appeared nine years ago, when she was 22. All Neyland was doing then was going through her regular routine, training as a triathlete. That’s when she noticed that her right calf had become significantly smaller. In her words, “the muscle bulk had wasted” although she could still use her leg. The Australian had a feeling that something was going on but continued living her life.

Two years later and her upper back muscles were next to go and she still put off testing. That was mainly because Neyland was still competing as a triathlete. And she loved her dual life as an athlete and osteopath, and didn’t want that to change.

“I didn’t want to accept that something was wrong, and I didn’t want to be told I couldn’t do what I was doing in sport,” the Melburnian revealed. “There was a lot of denial. I had my own internalised ableism. I didn’t want to be seen as different.”

Eventually, that decision was forced upon her and at 29, she went to a doctor, hoping that it wasn’t the disease that had rocked her family. But it was indeed Muscular dystrophy. That’s an incurable degenerative group of genetic diseases that causes the muscles to waste away. It’s also a disease that Tara Neyland’s family has been battling for generations, ranging from her grandfather to her brother and uncle.

It left her in the darkest spot she’d ever been. She never told her family the battle she was going through, given how much it had already taken from them. That eventually changed, and the Paris Paralympics in 2024 also changed her perspective and future as an athlete.

“I was in a very dark space. Watching the Paris Paralympics [in 2024] inspired me – seeing athletes doing extraordinary things despite their impairments. It helped me realise that regardless of this diagnosis, I am capable, and it doesn’t have to stop me.”

That shift in mindset has transformed Neyland’s career in little over a year. It took her from a Paralympics spectator wondering what might be possible to a world-record holder. Fittingly, after the biggest ride of her life, the Australian reflected on a performance that surpassed even her own expectations.

Tara Neyland reflects on her incredible gold medal race

A year ago, nobody knew who Tara Neyland was in the Paralympic or even as a cyclist. Now, she owns five world championship gold medals and a Commonwealth Gold Medal. In fact, she won the C4 Road Race, C4 Track Elimination, and set a world record in the C4 1k TT. 

All that in 2025 despite losing muscle mass in her shoulders, left hip, core and right calf to muscular dystrophy. None of that has stopped her, though, as Neyland set a benchmark during the qualifying in the 4000m race.

Her time of 4:49.648 minutes was a new world record in the distance. Then she clocked 4:50.477 in the final to win gold. In fact, she was so dominant that her victory was nearly twenty seconds faster than England’s Morgan Newberry, who won silver.

“I had big hopes and I really wanted to try and execute the plan and stay calm,” Neyland said according to Australian Cycling Team.com. “And I was really glad to pull it together.”

“It’s been so incredible to be here. I have not actually raced in a velodrome with like this level of crowd, and it’s just been really exciting to hear them all, especially on the back straight, coming home on the last lap. They really pushed me to the end. It was very, very special.”

With another gold medal and a world record already to her name in Glasgow, Tara Neyland’s comeback story is still being written. She returns to the velodrome next as the reigning world champion in the 1000m time trial, carrying the chance to add another major title to her name.

The post Australian Para-Cyclist Erases “I Was a Mess” Memories With World Record and Commonwealth Games Gold appeared first on EssentiallySports.

On July 30, Woods shared an emotional Instagram Story, thanking fans for their support before revealing that her Commonwealth title had been revoked. “Unfortunately, because of the crash last night there’s been a disqualification, which means the race has to be rerun, which is not ideal. So yeah, not Commonwealth champion anymore. And tomorrow morning we go again…”

The unexpected turn came after a women’s T54 1500m wheelchair final on July 29. The race began normally, but a major collision occurred in the opening lap. Canada’s Nandini Sharma moved across the track, making contact with Mauritius’ Noemi Alphonse, setting off a chain reaction that tore through the pack.

Australia’s Eliza Ault-Connell was among the first to be caught up in the incident and was thrown from her wheelchair. Scotland’s Joanna Robertson then skidded across the Mondo track on one wheel, while England’s Ellis Kottas crashed into the outside barrier as the pileup unfolded.

Despite the chaos, Woods crossed the finish line first in a Commonwealth Games record time of 3:33.39. England’s Ellis Kottas was promoted to silver after Sharma was disqualified for causing the collision. However, the controversy did not end there. Following protests from several teams, including Australia and Mauritius, the Commonwealth Games Jury of Appeal ruled that the opening lap crash had unfairly affected the outcome of the race.

Officials voided the original result and ordered the entire final to be rerun on Friday morning, roughly 39 hours after the first race. While Sharma’s disqualification remains in place, the remaining six athletes, including Woods, must return to the start line and race again for the Commonwealth medals. While Woods accepted the decision and turned her focus to the rerun, not everyone agreed with the ruling.

Team England questions controversial rerun

England’s Ellis Kottas, who had initially been promoted to silver following Sharma’s disqualification, also accepted the outcome despite admitting it was difficult. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “While I really don’t want to rerun the race (lowkey traumatised), if I’m going to medal I want to do so on my own merit, so I will go out and give it all I’ve got. If I don’t medal, so be it. I’ll still have the incredible memories of lifting that England flag.”

However, the decision drew criticism from Team England. Chef de Mission Jonny Riall said, “We are incredibly disappointed by the late decision to rerun the T54 1500m tomorrow morning.” Riall also questioned the officiating process, adding, “The race officials did not halt the race at the time of the incident, nor was any immediate decision made to declare the race void or order a rerun.”

Much of the criticism centered on the timing of the decision. The rerun was announced around 39 hours after the original race, long after the athletes had crossed the finish line, celebrated their results, and believed the event had concluded. So, it felt like officials compromised the race; it should have been stopped immediately rather than being allowed to finish before the result was later overturned.

The post Paralympian Left Heartbroken After Commonwealth Games Gold Is Revoked Amid Controversial Rerun appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Parsons described it as “disappointing” that the Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee, along with some other national committees, tried to shift focus away from sport.

“I think that, in the end, even the other national Paralympic committees responded very well by focusing on sport. I understand it, but it is disappointing to a certain extent,” he said.

He also stated that he empathized with Ukraine, saying he was “super empathetic” to the situation and could “only try to imagine the horror” caused by the ongoing war. However, as a sports association, he emphasized, it is the responsibility of the IPC to ensure that the regulations are observed, even in the face of political pressure.

“Yes, I think there was an attempt to always take the focus from sport,” Parsons said. “And I think at the end, even the other national Paralympic committees responded really well, focusing on sports. I understand, but it is disappointing to some extent.”

Parsons’ comments directly echo a longstanding position held by the International Olympic Committee.

IPC President Andrew Parsons says he was “disappointed” by what he described as the politicisation of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics by Ukraine.

He acknowledged the challenges created by the war but said the focus should remain on sport.

: Getty Images… pic.twitter.com/5yCtjkJxFJ

— insidethegames (@insidethegames) March 16, 2026

Past IOC leaders, such as Thomas Bach, have reiterated several times that sport should not be a referee in political conflicts. Bach contended that any form of politics determining who competes defeats the point of sport:

“If politics decides who can take part in a competition, then sport and athletes become tools of politics. It is then impossible for sport to transfer its uniting powers,” Bach said. “We must be politically neutral but not apolitical… But we should not make the mistake of raising ourselves to be referees of political disputes because we will be crushed by these political powers.”

His words support the argument of Parsons: despite the conflict between nations on the podium, the Games should be about the athletes on the podium.

This principle was put into practice in the 2026 Winter Olympics, when Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych tried to wear his own specially made helmet inscribed with the Ukrainian athlete and children ki**ed since the Russian invasion – a “helmet of memory.” Since he was unwilling to take it off, the IOC took him off the skeleton race and temporarily revoked his accreditation to the Games.

Although his accreditation was later restored, he was still barred from competing. The incidence reflected the IOC philosophy of ensuring that politics is kept out of sport is one that is close to what Parsons said. However, that philosophy was again tested by the 2026 Winter Paralympics very soon.

The Paralympics tested by Russia and Belarus’ return

It was the first time since 2014 that the Russian and Belarusian representatives were back in the 2026 Winter Paralympics with their own symbols and participated in events like cross-country skiing, para-snowboarding, and alpine skiing. But the action was not auguring well with everyone.

Even several European countries joined Ukraine in solidarity, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, refusing to send delegations to the opening ceremony. France, Australia, Germany, Croatia, and others also expressed some form of protest. Even the European Commissioner for Sport skipped the ceremony to make a statement.

Fans and broadcasters got involved, too. Poland’s public TV refused to show Russian and Belarusian athletes during the ceremony, instead displaying messages of solidarity with Ukraine. Tension was apparent on the podiums and slopes: German and Czech medalists were willing to turn their backs on the Russian gold winners, showing now just how polarizing the decision had become.

Fundamentally, the controversy evidences the conflict between sport and politics. To accept Russia and Belarus back under their flags was not only a procedural decision but sparked off tensions once again; it was a challenge to the neutrality of the Paralympic community.

The problems of balancing rules, fairness, and politics in real time were a difficult and very visible challenge in the case of the IPC and IOC.

The post IPC President Echoes IOC Issues With Ukrainian Athletes After Opening and Closing Ceremony Boycott appeared first on EssentiallySports.

During a recent segment for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, CBC Sports digital host and Paralympian Allison Lang, who won bronze in sitting volleyball at Paris 2024, addressed the mixed-gender status of Para ice hockey. “This is a mixed-gender event,” Lang said, “both men and women can play to represent their nation.”

Lang then asked Shireen Ahmed, the Canadian writer, sports activist, and award-winning public speaker, why no women’s Para ice hockey teams currently compete at the Paralympics. Ahmed explained that women’s para hockey is not part of the Paralympic program at all. While the sport is labeled mixed-gender, not every team fields a woman. Canada, for example, has none on its Paralympic roster.

“And I think that’s important to recognize, because it’s almost a way of it’s not a loophole, I don’t know if I would say that but it’s not a way of actually addressing the need for having women’s para hockey there.”

Women’s Para ice hockey is yet to be included in the Paralympics, but there is a possibility for that in Paris 2030. However, the journey to get there is not easy. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) demands that for a sport to be included, it must have a minimum of eight national teams that have competed in at least two Women’s World Championships.

As of now, only one championship has been conducted in 2025, with Buchanan’s side winning silver. But the second championship, which is crucial for the qualification, does not have a host yet for 2026. Moreover, there are not yet eight fully competitive national teams in the world. Without these steps, a Women’s Para Ice Hockey event cannot be added to Paris 2030.

'We deserve more:' Para women’s ice hockey still NOT represented in the Paralympics@_shireenahmed_ & women's Para hockey world silver medallist Claire Buchanan discuss the double-standard for men and women in para ice hockey at the Paralympic-levelhttps://t.co/NzjQJISpuw pic.twitter.com/yVjTyAjtJM

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) March 13, 2026

Speaking from experience, Buchanan described the challenges female Para athletes face: “And a female para athlete is you can’t just show up and be an athlete and train and compete. You have all these other things you have to push for, and it’s exhausting. And we’ve had athletes actually step away from women’s para hockey because of it.  And so we’re losing athletes to other sports. We don’t have the funding, and we don’t have the structure for it to actually be sustainable.”

She added, “Exposure is growing, and World Championships like last year are huge for that, but then again…we don’t have anyone holding their hand up to say hey, we want to host 2026.” 

Historically, only three women have ever competed in Para ice hockey at the Winter Paralympics: Britt Mjaasund Oyen, Lena Schroder, and Yu Jing. For decades, women made up less than 1 percent of the global player base, though recent development efforts have raised that to around 20 percent. Still, progress is early, and meaningful inclusion remains a work in progress.

Even as things are slowly changing and the progress is limited, Claire Buchanan sees it as a step forward, but she’s far from happy with being given just the “bare minimum.”

Claire Buchanan slams Paralympics’ Para hockey gender gap as USA faces Canada for gold

Well, the Para ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Paralympics is set: Team USA and Team Canada will face off on March 15. Both teams battled their way to the semifinals, with the USA, who were led by the veteran Declan Farmer, beating Czechia 6‑1 and Canada defeating China 4-2, to secure a spot in the final. It will be the third gold medal showdown between the two heavyweights during the Paralympics.

However, during the excitement, women are still mostly absent from the Paralympic ice hockey field. Only one woman, Akari Fukunishi of Japan, saw ice time in the mixed tournament, and that was in her team’s final game. For athletes like Claire Buchanan, a world silver medalist, the lack of a dedicated women’s event is a bitter reality.

She wanted to be part of the Paralympic tournament herself, saying, “If women’s Para hockey was in the Paralympics, I’d be going into my third Paralympic cycle right now.” But at the same time, Buchanan celebrates Fukunishi’s achievement, but she doesn’t hold back her frustration:

“There is a female that competed at the para hockey tournament this year with Team Japan. And yes, she got ice time in the very last game that Japan played in. And then I heard, oh, well, it’s better than nothing. I’m tired of that rhetoric. I’m tired of hearing that. We need more. We deserve more. And the bare minimum is not acceptable anymore.”

These are the underlying struggles that female Para athletes are exposed to, she explained: “We have constantly heard this rhetoric of, well, when you get here, then we’ll support you. But we can’t get there without support… and expecting us to be happy about it.”

While Fukunishi’s appearance is a step forward, Buchanan’s words show the ongoing struggle: women still have no medal of their own, minimal representation on national teams, and limited recognition.

The post World Medalist Raises Awareness on Sidelined Women Amid Paralympics Ice Hockey Gold Medal appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“There are no men’s and women’s events like at the Olympics, so female athletes are selected alongside male athletes. This has historically led to more men being chosen. Out of 135 ice hockey players currently competing in Italy, only one is a woman,” shared the BBC on X. Sure, Para ice hockey is technically a mixed-gender sport, but in practice, mixed does not mean equal.

In the Milan Paralympics, only two teams, Japan and Slovakia, feature a female player, and women remain a very small presence in the field. Even Kelsey DiClaudio, a world champion and one of the best female para ice hockey players, could not compete. Mixed-gender formats in themselves have not been sufficient to guarantee equitable representation.

The issue is historical in nature. Of the 32 years that para ice hockey has been a part of the Paralympics, only four women have ever competed, though there is an optional 18th spot on the squad, which is designated to a woman. This year, Akari Fukunishi of Team Japan was the only woman among 135 participants.

Why are so few of the athletes at the Winter Paralympics female? pic.twitter.com/AIb9eWrHGk

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 12, 2026

The IPC has, however, always indicated a desire to have gender parity. The Summer Games are much closer to balance, with 44.7% female athletes in Paris 2024, but at the Milan Paralympics, women account for just 26.1%. So, yes, introducing standalone women’s events is not simple: a sport must meet several criteria, including multiple World Championships, representation from at least eight national teams across three regions, and sustained participation.

However, Women’s para ice hockey has not yet reached these benchmarks, which means a separate tournament is likely several Paralympics away, possibly 2030 or 2034. But the gender challenge is not limited to ice hockey alone.

The Wider Struggle for Women at the Milan Paralympics

The challenge of female representation at the Milan Paralympics 2026 goes far beyond para ice hockey.

As the BBC noted, “It’s similar in wheelchair curling. In the mixed team event, only one of the team of four needs to be female, and in para snowboard, men have had three times as many events as women. There is a newly added mixed doubles event in wheelchair curling though, where teams are made up of one man and one woman, and this has increased female participation in the sport this year.” Sure, mixed formats help, but they also expose the limits women face.

However, wheelchair curling has one of the highest female participation rates. As with mixed doubles, female representation increased from 33% in Beijing 2022 to 38% in the Milan Paralympics. Yet participation alone does not solve structural inequality; so in other sports, mixed-gender participation still limits the overall development of women.

The gap is also stark in the Milan Paralympics para snowboarding. Men compete in six medal events compared with just two for women. Still, athletes like Cecile Hernandez and Kate Delson show that women can thrive even when opportunities are scarce. But if women can succeed under these conditions, why are there still so few chances for them?

Dr. Nikolaus, Dean of the University of British Columbia, analyzed wheelchair rugby, curling, para ice hockey, and para equestrian. In 2023, he concluded that “in practice, these sports provide little to no opportunity for women to get involved in the wider Paralympic movement.”

Even IPC President Andrew Parsons acknowledged that gender parity “is not happening fast enough.” But emphasized that the direction is clear: “Once we are able to have a female tournament in para ice hockey this will help a lot to fill the gap.” Nevertheless… the standalone events timeline is years away!

So to make standalone women’s events a reality, there have to be sufficient competitive athletes, representing sufficient countries, in order to maintain a meaningful tournament. What’s your take on this? Share it with us in the comments below. 

The post Gender Controversy Raise Concerns at Milan Paralympics Thanks to Mixed Events appeared first on EssentiallySports.

On a recent episode of My New Favorite Paralympian with Adam Rippon, he described the moment he learned he had made the roster.

“You know, not just a dream come true, but a surreal experience for sure. You get the call from your general manager saying you make the roster. You’re kind of just overwhelmed, you kind of just like realize, oh my gosh, like what, you know, am I dreaming, you know, in a way?” Jen Lee said.

The excitement was amplified by the knowledge that his hard work, perseverance, and experience had earned him another shot at representing his country on the world stage.

For more than a decade, Jen Lee has been a steady presence in the U.S. sled hockey program. He made his Paralympic debut at Sochi 2014 as backup to legendary goalie Steve Cash, helping bring home gold, and repeated the feat in PyeongChang 2018 in the same role.

By Beijing 2022, Lee had taken over as starting goaltender, leading Team USA to another gold medal. But for him, the journey has always been about more than winning.

Before hockey, Lee served as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Army for over ten years, retiring in 2015 as a staff sergeant after a medical discharge. He often credits that experience for shaping how he approaches both sport and life today.

Jen Lee served in the U.S. Army and is now representing his country as Team USA’s sled hockey goalie. #MyNewFavoriteParalympian with @AdamRippon, available now wherever you listen to podcasts. pic.twitter.com/hqoNfm0tUa

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) March 5, 2026

“Growing up, you know, I understand playing in a sub-team sport, but I didn’t really understand the dynamic of like what it is to be selfless, what it is to be, you know, be a good team player, and everything that little things you do to, you know, help your team succeed,” Jen Lee explained.

“The military pretty much ingrained that in you. You can’t do this by yourself. Your brother and your sister in arms next to you,  they relied on you and relied on them, you know. The camaraderie really helped me understand what it takes to get the mission done, or get the objective done as a team, not as an individual. You got to enjoy not just the winning side of it, but also the losing side, the pain and the hurt and the struggle.”

Interestingly, he also made history as one of the first active-duty soldiers selected for a U.S. Paralympic winter sports team in the 2014 Winter Paralympics. Now, as the 2026 Winter Paralympics approach, Lee is focused on keeping Team USA’s gold medal streak alive.

As recently as the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA swept gold in both the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments. Now attention shifts to para ice hockey, where the Americans hope to win the last hockey game. Interestingly, Jen Lee, representing the U.S might never have found his way to the sport if a life-changing accident had not pushed him toward the ice.

The crash that led Jen Lee from the army to Paralympic Ice Hockey

Born in Taiwan, Jen Lee moved to the United States and was raised in San Francisco. Like many kids, he spent his childhood playing with G.I. Joe toys and watching war movies. But the feeling of wanting to serve became real during his teenage years. When the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, shook the United States. Watching the country come together in that moment left a lasting impact on him.

So, Lee joined the United States Army and began working as a helicopter and aircraft mechanic.  For several years that was how he represented the United States. In March 2009, however, things changed.

At the time, Jen Lee was serving in the Army and stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah. One afternoon he went for a motorcycle ride with fellow soldiers along Interstate 95 near Jacksonville, Florida, heading back to base. As he was riding in the right lane, a middle-lane car swerved over without noticing him.

The driver tried to correct it but lost control, and the vehicle fishtailed into Lee’s motorcycle, throwing him onto the road. Despite the violent crash, Lee remained conscious and immediately understood how serious the injury was.

“I was definitely conscious, so I knew that I wasn’t dying,” Jen Lee said of the moment.  And doctors later had to amputate it above the knee to save his life.

But then, for recovery, Lee was transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center. So, as a part of therapy, doctors encouraged patients to try adaptive sports.

One of those activities he tried was sled hockey. Jen Lee first tried the sport in 2009. Within months, he was taking the sport seriously, and not long after, he earned a place on the U.S. national sled hockey team.

Sure, the motorcycle crash changed the direction of his life in a way he never expected. It ended his ability to serve in the same role in the Army. But it also opened a completely new path- ice hockey. That led him to become a three-time Paralympic gold medalist for Team USA.

The post Veteran Turned Paralympian on Representing USA to Continue Dominant Gold Run appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The number of nations joining the boycott had risen to eight by the end of February. These countries have stated they will not attend the opening ceremony if the Russian and Belarusian anthems are played. Germany, Croatia, and Lithuania are the latest to join the group.

In a statement, the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) expressed concern over the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2026 Winter Paralympics.

“The resolution passed by the IPC General Assembly in September 2025 and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling explicitly did not include any obligation to award starting places to these nations,” reads the statement. “The IPC’s decision poses a particular challenge to the Paralympic Movement.”

Ukraine says 11 nations will skip the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics in protest over Russian and Belarusian national symbols.

The boycott follows a decision by the International Paralympic Committee to allow their display.

: Getty Images… pic.twitter.com/LYi9iO6VT6

— insidethegames (@insidethegames) March 4, 2026

Amongst the teams, Germany’s Paralympic team will not join the physical march at the opening ceremony in Verona, the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) confirmed. The announcement comes after the International Paralympic Committee’s General Assembly and subsequent CAS decisions concerning the eligibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Instead, German athletes will feature in pre-recorded segments — a move the DBS described as a sign of respect toward the Ukrainian delegation while ensuring the team’s presence remains part of the ceremony.

“For the DBS, the perspectives of its athletes have the highest priority,” the association stated, adding that the values of the Paralympic movement, courage, determination, and peace, must be upheld during such “challenging times.”

They join Croatia and Lithuania among the latest countries not participating in the march, alongside Canada, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, and Ukraine.

Polish broadcaster TVP takes a stance during the 2026 Winter Paralympics

The 11 countries aren’t the only ones taking a stance as Telewizja Polska (TVP) have joined them. The Polish public broadcaster announced, via a statement, that they won’t broadcast Russian and Belarusian athletes during the opening ceremony. The broadcaster, as per the statement, is doing it in solidarity with Ukraine after the IOC allowed them to compete under their national flags.

As per Sport.tvp.pl, the broadcast will be cut when Russian and Belarusian athletes enter the stadium. Instead, the broadcast will be replaced with a screen that reads “Solidarity with Ukraine.” The Polish Paralympic Committee has supported the broadcaster’s decision to do so.

“We received with surprise the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russians and Belarusians to represent their countries at the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo,” reads the statement. “We view this choice as a troubling sign of the erosion of responsibility of Russia and Belarus for the crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine, and this is something we cannot and will never accept.”

The TVP isn’t the only broadcaster doing the same, as Lithuanian National Radio and Television announced that they would be doing something similar. However, despite the pressure from the nations, the IPC hasn’t changed its decision. The opening ceremony is unlikely to resolve the dispute.

The post IOC Faces Boycotts From 11 Nations at Opening Ceremony Over Russia Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.

However, despite that, the now 44-year-old has earned rave reviews from Instagram creator Alex Parra. In his series on several athletes participating at the 2026 Paralympics, Parra raved about Schultz. He called him one of the “coolest athletes” at the tournament. An amputee himself, Para also touched upon Schultz’s background and his accident in his deep dive video on the American.

“He (Mike Schultz) has a background in engineering, and six years after losing his leg, he became a Paralympian,” Parra said in the video. “2014 was the first year para-snowboarding was even allowed in the Paralympics, and since then, he has won gold in 2018 and silver in 2022.”

Less than a year after his 2008 accident, Mike Schultz debuted his custom “Moto Knee” prosthetic at the 2009 ESPN Summer X Games Adaptive Super-X, where he finished second, marking his triumphant return to action sports. Building on that momentum, he continued competing and refining his designs before representing Team USA at the 2018 Paralympics.

 

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A post shared by Alex Parra (@alex1leg)

So much so that he eventually qualified for Team USA and served as their flag-bearer in the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Paralympics. That paved the way for him to win a gold and silver medal. Schultz then picked up a silver medal in the 2022 Paralympics and now believes he can add to that collection in Milan.

“Of course, I expect to be on the podium,” Schultz said, as per NBC Sports, “That’s what I’m driving for. That’s what my goals are, but it’s not just performance this time around. My career has a timeline on it, and I really want to soak it all in and make the most of it, no matter how the performance goes.”

However, while his work on the board has given Mike Schultz a platform, it’s his work off the board that has truly made him a household name.

Mike Schultz is taking BioDapt to new levels post-Paralympics retirement

That is exactly what Alex Parra highlighted in his feature of Mike Schultz. That beyond the impressive athlete lies an even more impressive creator. After his accident and amputation, Schultz created and designed a sports prosthetic. He then realized others were looking for something similar and founded BioDapt in 2010.

Now, 90% of the top Paralympic lower-limb snowboard athletes use Schultz’s designs. That especially includes everyone currently competing for Team USA and many of his competitors. Not only that, he has since expanded beyond extreme athletes to amputees and veterans as well.

“I’ve always had two sides to my career – competing and building,” Schultz said as per Today’s Medical Development. “For years, I’ve pushed myself to be the best athlete I could be, while spending countless hours refining the gear that makes that performance possible. As I step away from competition, I’m excited to take everything I’ve learned and apply it to helping the next generation of athletes go even further.”

However, for the moment, Mike Schultz’s focus is on the 2026 Paralympics, where he will compete in snowboarding boardercross and snowboarding banked slalom. The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games will open on March 6 and will run for nine days, with the closing ceremony on March 15.

The post American Gold Medalist Who Helps Paralympic Snowboarders Enters His Last Run appeared first on EssentiallySports.

He met a 5-year-old boy named Joel, who was present in the stands during the indoor competition. He was also a double amputee, just like Hunter, and didn’t have shinbones or bones in his feet. Both Hunter and Tara soon met up with the boy and then brought him down to the track. The two also showed off their pair of prosthetic running legs to each other. Joel looked overwhelmed already, but his idol still had a big surprise waiting for him.

With officials announcing a 30-minute break in the races, Hunter decided to make the most out of the opportunity and challenged Joel to a dash. It was already a special moment for the boy to meet his hero, but to race with him must have been an unreal moment for him. The crowd cheered hard as the two lined up for the dash. Joel sprinted ahead at the start and eventually went on to win the race, defeating the Paralympic champion.

 

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A post shared by Tara & Hunter Woodhall (@thewoodhalls)

It was quite a heartwarming moment for everyone involved. The crowd was also very much invested as they cheered for Joel when he won the dash. This meet-up may even turn out to be one of those unforgettable moments in that preschooler’s life. Hunter’s heartwarming gesture for the kid won hearts on social media.

Additionally, both Hunter and Tara met Joel’s mother, as she was also present at the arena. They had a chat with her, and she told them that Joel watches their videos on a regular basis. “We watch your videos all the time, and it is really inspirational for him,” she said in the video on Instagram. As they say goodbye to the Simplot Games, the power couple will resume training for the upcoming track and field season.

Hunter and Tara aim to continue their golden form

The duo has begun their preparations for the much-anticipated track and field season. While Hunter is the current Paralympic champion in the men’s 400m T62, Tara is the reigning Olympic champion in women’s long jump. 2024 proved to be a stellar year for the two as they won gold at both the Paralympics and Olympics. They continued this form in 2025 and achieved major success once again.

The 26-year-old went on to clinch gold in the World Athletics Championship with a jump of 7.13 m. With this, not only did she capture her maiden world title, but she also defeated two-time world champion Malaika Mihambo, who had to settle for silver.

On the other hand, Hunter delivered a monumental performance in the national championships. He won both the men’s 100 T62 and men’s 400m T62, clocking times of 10.76s and 45.79s, respectively. It was his display in the latter event that grabbed headlines, as not only was this his personal best, but he also broke the previous world record set by Johannes Floors at 45.78s in 2019.

Following this, Hunter made the surprising decision to withdraw from the 2025 Para World Championships. He explained that clocking 45 seconds in the 400m was his biggest goal for the year and wanted to focus on recovery after achieving it. “I couldn’t have asked for a better season. Running 45 seconds was my biggest goal for the year. We have bigger goals for next year, and that, combined with many other factors, helped with this decision. Both my walking and running prosthetics need to be fixed. The travel with Tokyo and India all at once, all the changes that came with moving, and a crazy year—all of this played a part,” a part of Hunter’s Instagram post read.

Though 2025 proved to be a memorable year for both Hunter and Tara, it remains to be seen if the couple will be able to continue their form in the 2026 track and field season.

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