CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The president of the International Paralympic Committee was disappointed with the complaints made by Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee during the Milan Cortina Games, saying they appeared to be an attempt to shift the focus from sports to politics.

Andrew Parsons spoke with The Associated Press on the final day of the Winter Paralympic Games on Sunday, praising the outcome of the competition and discussing the return of the Russian flag and anthem, the effects of the warmer weather and the challenges of organizing the event at widespread venues.

Mr. Parsons called it “disappointing” that the Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee and the national committees of other nations tried to turn the focus away from sports.

He said he was “super empathetic” with the situation in Ukraine and can “only try to imagine the horror,” but as a sports organization, the IPC must make sure that rules are not broken, even by the Ukrainian committee.

“Yes, I think there was an attempt to always take the focus from sport,” Mr. Parsons said. “And I think at the end, even the other national Paralympic committees responded really well, focusing on sports. I understand, but it is disappointing to some extent.”

He said it was expected to see governments attempting to shift the focus toward politics, but it was regrettable that sports bodies were doing it.

Valerii Sushkevych, president of the Ukraine National Paralympic Committee, told the AP in a telephone interview on Sunday that calling for peace and to stop the war was not a political statement, but a human-rights issue.

“If people in the world want to live in peace, it’s human rights, it’s not political,” Mr. Sushkevych said.

Ukraine and a few other nations boycotted the opening and closing ceremonies because of the IPC’s decision to give Russian athletes wildcard entries for the Games and allow them to compete under their own flag for the first time in more than a decade.

Mr.Sushkevych said the ceremonies are not sporting competitions and are used as a political event by the IPC, which was allowing the participation of a nation that “can’t be present here” because of the occupation of another country.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago ignited Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, causing suffering for civilians and harrowing ordeals for soldiers while rewriting the post-Cold War security order. The fighting has entered its fifth year, with the number of casualties — people killed, wounded or missing — combined from both sides estimated in the millions.

Ukraine’s Paralympic committee accused the IPC and Milan Cortina organizers of subjecting Ukraine’s athletes and coaches to “systematic pressure.” It said the incidents included the alleged forceful removal of a Ukrainian flag, the breaking up of planning meetings by the Ukrainian team, and the prohibition of a Ukrainian athlete from wearing an earring with the words “Stop War” at a podium ceremony. The IPC and local organizers defended their actions.

Mr. Parsons said it was expected that some nations weren’t happy with the return of the Russian flag, but he felt that the “vast majority” of the national Paralympic committees focused on sport, “because the sport element of it is what helps us fulfill our mission, which is to make for a more inclusive world through Para sport, and not external politics.”

The Russian flag flew at the Paralympics for the first time since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and the anthem was played for the first time at a major global sporting event since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The return of the Russian flag and anthem was seen by some as a signal of a possible full-fledged return to Olympic circles ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Mr. Parson said the general assembly made the vote to lift the suspension solely with the best interests of the Paralympic movement in mind.