Germans turn back on Russian medallists on Paralympic podium
Discussion
BBC said:
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.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c9wn01jd12woFor 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.
Right or wrong thing to do?
ATG said:
wiggy001 said:
Right.
They should never have been allowed to compete under the Russian flag.
Agreed. They should never have been allowed to compete under the Russian flag.
It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
I think that needs to be reviewed. And if they have issues with that then they know who to blame.
ATG said:
Agreed.
It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
Why sympathy? They are competing for their country, under their flag. That country is committing despicable acts. It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
If they want to compete as athletes then don't wear their vile country's flag?
k was that flag allowed back??remedy said:
ATG said:
Agreed.
It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
Why sympathy? They are competing for their country, under their flag. That country is committing despicable acts. It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
If they want to compete as athletes then don't wear their vile country's flag?
As individuals they're suffering becoz of their government's behaviour, regardless of what they personally think about their own government's behaviour.
ATG said:
remedy said:
ATG said:
Agreed.
It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
Why sympathy? They are competing for their country, under their flag. That country is committing despicable acts. It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
If they want to compete as athletes then don't wear their vile country's flag?
As individuals they're suffering becoz of their government's behaviour, regardless of what they personally think about their own government's behaviour.
swisstoni said:
ATG said:
remedy said:
ATG said:
Agreed.
It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
Why sympathy? They are competing for their country, under their flag. That country is committing despicable acts. It's very tough for the Russian athletes and they have my sympathy, but there shouldn't be a Russian national team competing in the first place.
If they want to compete as athletes then don't wear their vile country's flag?
As individuals they're suffering becoz of their government's behaviour, regardless of what they personally think about their own government's behaviour.
Ukraine accuses IPC of ‘systemic pressure’ and pro-Russian bias at Winter Paralympics
Team Ukraine have launched a stinging attack on the International Paralympic Committee and Winter Paralympics organisers, claiming they have been under “systemic pressure” to reduce their presence at the Milano Cortina Games.
The Ukraine National Paralympic Committee has made four specific allegations against the IPC and the Milano Cortina organisers, alleging mistreatment of its athletes and a “systematic” attempt to remove flags from the team base and spectators.
It alleges that representatives of the Games organising committee, the OCOG, forced the removal of the Ukrainian national flag from inside the Paralympic village. It claims that the gold medallist in the para biathlon, Oleksandra Kononova, was told to remove earrings bearing the flag and the message “Stop War” as she prepared to stand on the medal podium. It also claims that the family of the cross-country skier Taras Rad had Ukrainian flags taken from them as they watched him compete. Finally, it alleges that tactical meetings have been consistently disrupted by members of the IPC and OCOG.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/11/ukra...
Team Ukraine have launched a stinging attack on the International Paralympic Committee and Winter Paralympics organisers, claiming they have been under “systemic pressure” to reduce their presence at the Milano Cortina Games.
The Ukraine National Paralympic Committee has made four specific allegations against the IPC and the Milano Cortina organisers, alleging mistreatment of its athletes and a “systematic” attempt to remove flags from the team base and spectators.
It alleges that representatives of the Games organising committee, the OCOG, forced the removal of the Ukrainian national flag from inside the Paralympic village. It claims that the gold medallist in the para biathlon, Oleksandra Kononova, was told to remove earrings bearing the flag and the message “Stop War” as she prepared to stand on the medal podium. It also claims that the family of the cross-country skier Taras Rad had Ukrainian flags taken from them as they watched him compete. Finally, it alleges that tactical meetings have been consistently disrupted by members of the IPC and OCOG.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/11/ukra...
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