German skiers turn backs on Russian medallists at Paralympics

German cross-country skiers Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann staged a protest on the Winter Paralympics podium by turning their backs during a medal ceremony for Russian gold medallists The demonstration occurred Tuesday as the Russian national anthem played for Anastasiia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin, winners of the women's sprint classic vision impaired event

The German silver medallists' action was a protest against the inclusion of Russian athletes at the Games For the first time since 2014, competitors from Russia are participating under their nation's flag after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifted its suspension of the country in September Russia had been banned following a state-sponsored doping scandal, with further sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine The protest by the German athletes highlights the ongoing political tensions surrounding the Winter Paralympics Russia inclusion. This instance of a German skiers protest Russia Paralympics has become a focal point, particularly given the context of sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, connecting to broader concerns about a Paralympics protest Ukraine sentiment.