BH Team for Winter Paralympics Milan Cortina 2026 Presented

(Patria) - The Paralympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina held a press conference regarding the participation of the BH team in the Winter Paralympic Games Milan Cortina 2026, which will be held from March 6th to 15th, 2026, in Italy.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will be represented at the Games by alpine skier Ilma Kazazić, who will be supported by her father, Fahrudin Kazazić, in the role of coach.

Chef de Mission Nijaz Memić emphasized that this is the fifth appearance of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Winter Paralympic Games.

“These are the fifth Paralympic Games where BiH has its representative, and that is something we are all proud of. We hope for better results compared to previous appearances,” said Memić, who was the first representative of BiH at the Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver in 2010.

Ilma Kazazić will represent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Paralympic Games for the fourth time. Addressing the media, she thanked everyone who contributed to her sports journey – her family, coaches, club, and institutions that financially supported her work.

She particularly emphasized the significance of her father accompanying her to these Games in the role of coach.

“My wish and goal is to achieve the best possible result, if not a historic one. These Games are special for me because my father, who has been with me throughout my entire career, is part of the official team this time.”

During her career, Kazazić has collaborated with prominent coaches, including the late Professor Senad Turković, the late Lejla Dedović, and Leon Svjetlin, with whom she achieved historic results for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Coach Fahrudin Kazazić stressed that the qualification process was not easy, neither in sporting nor financial terms.

“In the past year, we have had intensive preparations and competitions in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Austria. Ilma had an extremely demanding program, but she showed physical and mental readiness for the challenges that await us on March 12th and 14th.”

The official team doctor, Prof. Dr. Mirsad Muftić, highlighted that Ilma's story is a powerful example of how rehabilitation through sport can lead to top results, academic success, and personal affirmation.

“Ilma is a symbol of strength and success. She shows how disability can be transformed into ability, how self-confidence, education, and social contribution are built through sport.”

The Paralympic Committee of BiH also signed a cooperation agreement with the International Academy of Science and Art, with the aim of raising awareness about people with disabilities at the academic and social level, and integrating this topic into the educational system.

During the conference, the captain of KK Bosna BH Telecom, Miralem Halilović, also offered his support to Ilma, symbolically presenting her with a jersey and wishing her much luck and success at the upcoming Games.