German cross-country skiers turned their backs on gold Russian medallists on the Winter Paralympics podium in protest against the country’s inclusion in the Games.
For the first time since 2014, Russian athletes are competing under their country’s flag at the Paralympics, after the International Paralympic Committee lifted the country’s suspension in September.
Russia and its athletes were banned following a state-sponsored doping scandal before further sanctions were imposed following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Anastasia Bagyan and her guide, Sergei Siniyakin, won gold in the women’s sprint classic visually impaired event, Russia’s second of three golds so far at the Games.
As the national anthem played, silver medallist Lynn Kazmaier of Germany and her guide, Florian Baumann, turned their backs on the Russians.
Speaking to German outlet Bild, external Kazmaier said: “The medal ceremony felt completely strange. I don’t know. [Russians] I don’t know; maybe they support this system in Russia as little as we do.
“Maybe they’re genuinely people we can be friends with. It’s completely covered up in politics; it’s a complete shame that the true sentiments of the people are often overshadowed by governmental actions and propaganda.
So we decided to leave our hats off and stay away from the flag, because we oppose that.
