German Paralympians turn their backs on Russian Flag at Paralympic Podium

By Harriet Joyce

Picture by Reuters

As Russia’s national anthem played, Germany's silver medallists, Linn Kazmaier and her guide, Florian Baumann, turned their backs to the Russian Gold medallists competing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics. 

Suspensions made by International Paralympic Committee following the state-sponsored doping scandal and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine were lifted in September, allowing Russian athletes to compete at the Paralympics. 

“The IPC's decision to have Russia here under their flag, with their anthem and their full contingent in attendance, while the Ukrainians are also here, I find simply not correct," Baumann says.