German cross-country skiers staged a silent protest during a medal ceremony at the Winter Paralympics.
Silver medallists Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann turned their backs on Russian winners during the national anthem.
The protest followed the victory of Anastasiia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin in the women’s sprint classic event for visually impaired athletes.
Russia’s Return to the Paralympics
This marks the first time since 2014 that Russian athletes compete under their national flag at the Paralympics.
The International Paralympic Committee lifted its suspension on Russia in September.
The country had been banned after a state-sponsored doping scandal. Additional sanctions followed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
At the current Games, six Russian athletes and four from Belarus are competing.
German Athletes Explain Protest
Kazmaier said the medal ceremony felt uncomfortable due to political tensions.
She explained that the protest did not target the Russian athletes personally. Instead, it expressed disagreement with Russia competing under its flag and anthem.
Kazmaier and Baumann also refused to take part in the traditional medallists’ selfie after the ceremony.
Baumann said the gesture aimed to show solidarity with Ukrainian athletes at the Games.
Boycott of Opening Ceremony
Several countries protested Russia’s participation.
Teams from seven nations, including Ukraine, boycotted the opening ceremony held in Verona.
Earlier in the competition, Varvara Voronchikhina won Russia’s first gold medal without any protest during her medal ceremony.
Ukraine Raises Complaints
Ukraine’s Paralympic committee later accused organizers of putting pressure on its athletes.
Officials claimed that a Ukrainian flag displayed inside the athletes’ village was moved to a less visible location.
They also reported that family members of Taras Rad were asked to remove scarves with Ukrainian colors when entering a venue.
Another Ukrainian athlete, Oleksandra Kononova, reportedly received a warning over earrings displaying the message “Stop War”.
IPC Responds to Allegations
The International Paralympic Committee said athletes must follow rules that prohibit political messages during the Games.
Officials confirmed that staff asked Kononova to remove the earrings before the medal ceremony. She complied with the request.
Games organizers also stated that security procedures apply equally to all delegations.
They said the rules aim to maintain a respectful environment for athletes and spectators during the competition.
