German cross-country skiers turned their backs on Russian gold medalists on the podium at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in protest at their nation’s inclusion in the competition.
For the first time since 2014, Russian athletes are competing under their country’s flag at the Paralympic Games after the International Paralympic Committee lifted the country’s suspension in September.
Russia and its athletes have so far been banned following the state-sponsored doping scandal, and further sanctions were later imposed following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Germans protested against Russia on the podium of the 2026 Paralympics
Anastasia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin won the gold medal in the women’s visually impaired classic sprint event, the second of three gold medals won by Russia so far at the Paralympics.
While the national anthem was being sung, Germany’s Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann, silver medalists, turned their backs on the Russians.
In total, 6 Russian athletes and 4 from Belarus – an ally of Russia – are competing at the Paralympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, after the lifting of the IPC ban.
As a result, teams from seven countries – including Ukraine – boycotted Friday’s opening ceremony in Verona.
Para-alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won Russia’s first gold medal on Monday, and the medal ceremony was held without protest.
