Poland’s largest and oldest broadcaster Telewizja Polska has announced that it will interrupt its coverage of the 2026 Paralympic Games whenever Russian or Belarusian athletes appear on screen, Idman.Biz reports.
In an official statement the public broadcaster criticised the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the upcoming Games, linking its position to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. TVP said channels within its network that are set to broadcast the event will temporarily suspend the transmission each time athletes from those countries are shown.
During such interruptions Polish viewers will see a large message on the screen reading: “Solidarity with Ukraine”.
According to the broadcaster, the signal will be cut both during the opening ceremony and during competitions if Russian or Belarusian athletes appear in the broadcast. In scenarios where a Polish athlete wins a silver or bronze medal while a Russian competitor takes gold, TVP said it would show the medal ceremony but end the transmission before the anthem is played and the flags are raised.
The 2026 Paralympic Games will take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from 6 to 15 March, with the opening ceremony scheduled to be held in Verona.
