• No ParalympicsGB athletes will be present in Verona

• IPC say Russian presence ‘determined by members’

Seven nations and the British government will boycott the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics in protest at the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes, organisers have confirmed.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said that the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine would not be sending athletes or officials to the ceremony on Friday night.