Winter Paralympics 2026: Germans protest against Russia during medal ceremony

German cross-country skiers turned their backs on the Russian gold medallists on the Winter Paralympics podium in protest against the nation’s inclusion at the Games.

For the first time since 2014, Russian athletes are competing under their nation’s flag at a Paralympics after the International Paralympic Committee lifted its suspension of the country in September.

Russia and its athletes had been banned following the state-sponsored doping scandal before further sanctions followed after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Anastasiia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin won gold in the women’s sprint classic vision impaired event, Russia’s second of three golds at the Games so far.

As the national anthem played, Germany’s Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann, the silver medallists, turned their backs to the Russians.

Speaking to German outlet Bild,, external Kazmaier said: “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.”