Protest on the podium at the Paralympic Games! The Germans turned their backs on the Russians during the anthem
Article by David Istrate – Published Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 6:00 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 6:02 p.m.
German skier Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann protested at the Paralympic Winter Games cross-country skiing medal ceremony after Russia's Anastasiia Bagiian took gold.
The Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games were preceded by huge controversy after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition and represent their countries.
7 delegates protested this decision and were not present at the opening ceremony of the competitionbut nothing changed, and the Russians won their first medals on the second day of the Paralympic Games.
Linn Kazmaier and her guide, protest against the CIP decision: “It's not about the Russian athletes themselves”
On Tuesday, March 10, Anastasia Bagiian, a Russian skier, became the Paralympic champion in cross-country skiing, climbing to the top step of the podium with Sergei Siniakin, her guide. The silver medal was won by German Linn Kazmaier, who decided to protest the CIP decision regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes.
Kazmaier and her guide refused to take part in the traditional medalist selfie, and during the singing of the Russian national anthem, they turned their backs on their opponents. The Paralympic vice-champion explained her decision to Bild.
“The medal ceremony seemed completely strange to me. I don't know the Russians, I don't know if they support the system in Russia as little as we do. Maybe they are very nice people, with whom we could be friends. The fact that everything is completely overshadowed by politics is simply a shame. That's why we decided to keep our caps on and not turn towards the flag, because we don't support it”, she said, quoted by news.ro.
“Four years ago, in Beijing, we had an excellent exchange with the Ukrainians. We wanted to show our solidarity with them. It's not about the Russian athletes themselves. It's also difficult for many of them, but the decision of the CIP to have Russia here under the national flag, with the anthem and with the whole team in the stands, while the Ukrainians are also here, doesn't seem right to us,” added Kazmaier.
The German Paralympic Committee also sent the following: “It was an expression of solidarity with their friends, the Ukrainian athletes“.
4 days before the end of the Paralympic Games, Russia is 4th in the medal standings with 6 medals, 4 gold and 2 bronze. Germany, with one gold medal, 4 silver and 6 bronze, is in 13th position.
