Article by Mihai Șovei – Published Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 10:50 / Updated Tuesday, February 17, 2026 10:50
Mihăiță Papară, para snowboarder, respectively Andrei-Sorin Popa, para alpine skier, are the two athletes who will represent Romania at the Paralympic Winter Games. The 2026 edition will take place between March 6-15, in Milan-Cortina. It is the first time that Romania will be represented in two disciplines.
This year's edition will mark Romania's fifth participation in the Paralympic Winter Games, after the 2010 (Vancouver), 2014 (Soci), 2018 (PyeongChang) and 2022 (Beijing) editions.
Mihăiță Papară and Andrei-Sorin Popa will represent Romania at the Winter Paralympic Games
The participation of the two athletes was officially confirmed on February 16 by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), according to paralimpicromania.ro.
Mihaita Papara will compete in Snowboard Cross (SBX) and Banked Slalom (BSL) events. She discovered her passion for this sport after a road accident, as a result of which she lost her left leg. She has been active since 2014 in the international circuit and is the most experienced Romanian para snowboard athlete. The athlete represented Romania at PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, and this year's participation marks his third consecutive Paralympic presence, representing a unique continuity for Romania in this discipline.
Mihaita Papara
Andrei-Sorin Popa will compete in the para alpine skiing events, class LW9-2 (Standing), in the Slalom event (SL). After a stroke suffered in 2020, which affected his mobility, Andrei rebuilt his sports career, and the 2025–2026 season marked his real debut on the international circuit.
Andrei-Sorin Popa
Carol-Eduard Novak, former Paralympic cyclist and CNP president, spoke about the presence of the two in the competition.
Romania's participation in Milan-Cortina 2026 is more than a sporting presence. It is confirmation that Winter Paralympic sports are back on the performance agenda, even in a difficult structural context. Mihăiță Papară means continuity and experience, and Andrei-Sorin Popa represents the direct result of the development process initiated in 2025 and the accelerated progress. The investment in the discovery of new athletes and in performance produces results, and Romania remains relevant in international Paralympic sport.
– Carol-Eduard Novak, president of the National Paralympic Committee
