BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said Thursday that athletes from Russia and Belarus are unlikely to qualify for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games because they are unable to participate in qualification events.

The IPC already voted to fully reinstate the membership rights and privileges of the Russian and Belarusian Paralympic Committees, opening the door for Para athletes from the two countries to compete at Milano Cortina, at its General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, in late September.

However, eligibility criteria for qualification events in each Paralympic sport are determined by the relevant international federation. The IPC said it has received confirmation from each of the four international federations with sports on the Milano Cortina 2026 program -- the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), International Biathlon Union (IBU), World Curling and World Para Ice Hockey -- that, in practice, no athletes from the two countries are likely to qualify for the Games.

Andrew Parsons, IPC president, said: "The positions of FIS, IBU and World Curling currently mean that athletes and teams from Belarus and Russia cannot compete in their events, making it impossible for them to qualify for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games."

"While Belarus and Russia can now compete in Para ice hockey competitions, at this late stage of the qualification cycle, the six teams for November's Paralympic Games Qualification Tournament have already been determined."

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will take place March 6-15, with 79 medal events across six sports. ■