Why did German skiers turn their backs on Russian gold medallists at Winter Paralympics podium?

A medal ceremony at the Winter Paralympics turned into a political moment when German cross-country skiers protested against Russia’s participation in the Games. During the podium ceremony for the women’s sprint classic vision impaired event, the German silver medallists refused to face the Russian athletes who had just won gold. Instead, they turned their backs while the Russian national anthem played. The incident happened after Russia returned to compete under its national flag for the first time since 2014. The International Paralympic Committee had suspended Russia following a state-sponsored doping scandal. Additional restrictions were later imposed after the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, the suspension was lifted in September, allowing Russian athletes to compete again. Their return has created mixed reactions among athletes and officials at the Games.Russian skier Anastasiia Bagiian and her guide Sergei Siniakin won the gold medal in the women’s sprint classic event for visually impaired athletes. Their victory marked Russia’s second gold medal at the Winter Paralympics so far. When the medal ceremony began and the Russian anthem played, Germany’s Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann, who finished second, quietly turned away from the flag. The protest was not loud or dramatic, but it carried a clear message. The German pair kept their hats on and refused to face the Russian flag during the anthem. Many observers saw the act as a sign of disagreement with Russia’s participation at the Games.Later, Kazmaier spoke about the moment and described the ceremony as strange and uncomfortable. She explained that the situation felt unusual because politics had become such a big part of the moment. According to her comments, she does not personally know the Russian athletes and cannot say whether they support the Russian system or not.Kazmaier suggested that the athletes themselves might simply be competitors who love their sport. She said it was possible that they could even be friendly people and potential friends under different circumstances. However, she felt that the political situation surrounding Russia made the ceremony difficult to accept.She also explained why she and Baumann decided not to face the Russian flag. Their decision, she said, was meant to show that they do not support what the flag represents in the current political climate. Leaving their hats on and turning away was their way of expressing that position without disrupting the ceremony.