Iranian athlete Aboulfazl Khatibi will not compete at Milan Cortina Paralympics

By Canadian Press on March 6, 2026.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The International Paralympic Committee said Friday that Iranian athlete Aboulfazl Khatibi will not compete at the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games because he can’t safely travel to Italy amid the intensifying Middle East conflict.

The announcement came just hours ahead of the opening ceremony in Verona.

Khatibi is a cross-country skier and was the only athlete from Iran set to participate in the Games that are beginning less than a week since the United States and Israel launched a military attack against Iran.

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AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

The Associated Press