German Athletes Protest Russian Presence on Paralympic Podium
German cross-country skiers maintained distance from the Russian gold medallists during post-ceremony photographs at the Winter Paralympics, turning their backs on the Russian athletes on the podium in protest against Russia's participation in the Games.
For the first time since 2014, Russian athletes competed under their national flag at a Paralympic event after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifted its suspension of Russia in September. The suspension had been imposed following the state-sponsored doping scandal and further sanctions were applied after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Anastasiia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin secured gold in the women's sprint classic vision impaired event, marking Russia's second of three gold medals at the Games to date.
During the playing of the Russian national anthem, Germany's Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann, who won silver, turned their backs to the Russian athletes.
"The medal ceremony felt completely strange. I don't know the [Russians], I don't know if perhaps they also support the system in Russia as little as we do. Perhaps they are really nice people, who we could be friends with. That it is so totally overshadowed by politics is simply a complete shame. That's why we decided to leave our hats on and not turn towards the flag, because we do not support it."
In total, six Russian athletes and four from Belarus, an ally of Russia, are competing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics following the IPC's ban lift.
As a consequence, teams from seven countries, including Ukraine, boycotted the opening ceremony held on Friday in Verona.
Para-alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won Russia's first gold medal on Monday; that medal ceremony proceeded without protest.
According to German publication Bild, Kazmaier and Baumann also declined to participate in the customary medallists' selfie following the ceremony.
"Four years ago in Beijing we had a great exchange with the Ukrainians. We wanted to show solidarity to them," said Baumann. "It's not about the Russian athletes, themselves. It's also difficult for many of them, but the IPC's decision to have Russia here under their flag, with their anthem and their full contingent in attendance, while the Ukrainians are also here, I find simply not correct."
The IPC informed that it is aware of the protest and is currently gathering and analysing evidence related to the incident.
The German Paralympic Committee stated:
"This was an expression of solidarity with their friends, the Ukrainian athletes."
Ukraine Accuses IPC and Organisers of Systematic Pressure
On Wednesday, Ukraine's Paralympic Committee accused the IPC and the Games organising committee of exerting "systematic pressure" on its athletes and coaches during the Games.
In a detailed statement, the committee reported that its team encountered "openly negative manifestations and even obstacles," including the removal of a Ukrainian flag from a building within the athletes' village and its relocation to a less visible area.
The statement also noted that the family of Para-biathlon Paralympic champion Taras Rad had Ukraine flags and scarves removed from them in the stands. Additionally, an IPC representative allegedly attempted to compel fellow gold medallist Oleksandra Kononova to remove earrings featuring the Ukrainian flag and the words "stop war." Kononova confirmed she received a warning from the IPC, citing a prohibition on political messaging for athletes competing at the Paralympics.
Ukraine's statement included the following:
"There appears the impression of an incomprehensible and very special partnership of the IPC with the NPCs of Russia and Belarus."
The Milan-Cortina 2026 organising committee responded to , explaining that the flag had been initially hung "outside a communal space" and was later "relocated to the residential area used by the Ukrainian delegation."
Regarding the removal of flags and scarves from Rad's family, the committee added:
"Five spectators attempted to enter the venue wearing scarves in the colours of the Ukrainian flag that included text. As venue security could not verify the meaning of the text, and it may have contained political messaging, which is not permitted under Games regulations, the spectators were asked to enter the venue without the scarves. The items were returned to them when they exited the venue.
Milano Cortina 2026 and the International Paralympic Committee remain committed to providing a respectful and welcoming environment for all stakeholders, including athletes and spectators. The rules and procedures in place during the Games are designed to support that environment and are applied equally to all delegations."
Regarding the earrings incident, the IPC's chief brand and communications officer Craig Spence stated:
"While we are empathetic to the situation faced by Ukrainian people, that empathy does not stretch to allowing NPC Ukraine to break the rules that govern these Games. Earlier this week, a Ukrainian medallist was wearing earrings with the message 'Stop War' prior to heading to the podium. This messaging was spotted by a member of staff who politely asked for them to be removed as they could be in breach of the IPC's rules. The athlete agreed and removed them."
