Russian athletes will compete under their own flag at the Paralympics for the first time in more than a decade, and the country’s national anthem will be played for any gold medalists.

Tuesday’s announcement stands as another indicator that Russia and its national identity will be fully restored in Olympic circles well ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

In a statement, the International Paralympic committee said Russia’s National Paralympic Committee had been awarded six slots for the upcoming Milan Cortina Paralympic Games.

It will mark the first time a Russian flag has been flown at the Paralympics since the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia. The country’s athletes were initially banned because of a state-sponsored doping program, and the sanctions against Russia have continued since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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Should a Paralympic athlete win gold, it will be the first time the Russian anthem has been played on the stage of a major global sporting event since the invasion.

Russia’s close ally, Belarus, has also been banned since 2022 but will have four slots at Milan Cortina.

“The IPC can confirm that NPC Russia has been awarded a total of six slots: two in Para alpine skiing (one male, one female), two in Para cross-country skiing (one male, one female), and two in Para snowboard (both male),” the statement said.

“NPC Belarus has been awarded four slots in total, all in cross-country skiing (one male and three female).”

In September, the IPC voted to lift partial suspensions of Russia and Belarus.

However, IPC President Andrew Parsons told AP in November that there would be no athletes from those countries at the Milan Cortina Games because the sports’ governing bodies had maintained their bans.

The following month, an appeal from Russia saw the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturn a blanket ban imposed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation — paving the way for Russians to compete as neutral athletes at the 2026 Olympics, and with their own flag and anthem at the Paralympics.

The Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended since 2023 by the International Olympic Committee for breaking the Olympic charter by using an administrative land grab to incorporate regional sports bodies in occupied eastern Ukraine.

That decision is under an IOC legal review after the Russian Olympic body amended its statutes and could be overturned within months.

Following a system used in Paris in 2024, Russian athletes are competing at the current Olympics as individual neutral athletes — using the French acronym AIN — and without their flag, anthem or team colors.

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Russian media reported that Aleksey Bugaev, a three-time Paralympic champion in Alpine skiing, is one of the athletes who has been given a slot along with cross-country skiers Ivan Golubkov and Anastasiia Bagiian, who have both won medals at world championships.

All three returned to competition last month, and both Bugaev and Bagiian have since won World Cup titles.

The Milan Cortina Paralympics is set to take place from March 6-15.

Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez are set to collide in a pivotal middleweight main event at UFC Houston on Feb. 21. For Strickland, the bout represents a chance to steady himself after falling short in his most recent title rematch against Dricus du Plessis.

For Hernandez, it is the biggest opportunity of his career, carrying an eight-fight winning streak into a matchup that could decide the next contender at 185 pounds. With contrasting styles and high stakes, the fight has quickly become one of the division’s most meaningful crossroads.

Ahead of Saturday’s headline bout, let’s explore Hernandez’s ethnicity:

What is Anthony Hernandez’s ethnicity

Anthony Hernandez is a Mexican-American fighter, often identifying himself within the Chicano community, and he has spoken openly about how deeply he connects with his Mexican roots. Born in Dunnigan, California, Hernandez has described his upbringing as strongly shaped by Mexican culture. He said that he grew up in an environment where that identity was central to his family life.

On his father’s side, Hernandez is first-generation American, with family members who crossed the border into Texas under difficult circumstances. On his mother’s side, he is second-generation. That blend has shaped how he views himself, both as an American athlete and as someone who feels a responsibility to honor where his family came from.

Hernandez’s connection to his heritage has been especially visible in the lead-up to this fight, after he revealed frustrations with the UFC regarding his desire to represent Mexico. He claimed the promotion initially created obstacles when he wanted to walk out under the Mexican flag, requiring extensive documentation such as his grandparents’ birth certificates.

In an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, he said:

“Dude, I don’t get special treatment. That’s why I’m on a f*cking eight-fight win streak. There’s no special treatment here. I have to go earn everything, unfortunately. And it’s how my life has always been so f*ck it.”

He added:

“I had to like jump through some hoops real quick, and had to find my f*cking grandparents’ birth certificates and show that they’re from Mexico and that I can represent…Man, it’s where my blood’s from. My dad’s from there, my mom’s family is from there, that’s my heritage. Yes, I’m American. Yes, I’ve been here, but everything we’ve had and sh*t, we’ve had to earn.”

Check out the full interview below:

For Hernandez, the situation felt like an unnecessary burden, particularly given his status as one of the division’s most consistent rising contenders.

That controversy became even more charged once Strickland inserted himself into the conversation in his usual provocative fashion. Strickland posted a photoshopped image online portraying himself as an ICE agent opposite Hernandez in Mexican attire. Strickland faced immediate backlash for his post.

While Strickland is no stranger to stirring reactions, the dynamic has amplified the stakes for the upcoming clash. Hernandez has largely kept his focus on competition.

He has built his surge through relentless grappling pressure, setting divisional records for completed takedowns and wearing opponents down with pace and control. The winner in Houston could move directly into title contention.