On the fifth day of the Games, the behavior of the German para cross-country skiing duo Linn Kazmaier and Florian Baumann at the award ceremony caused severe criticism. They turned away pointedly when the Russian anthem in honor of the winner Anastasiia Bagiian played. Afterwards they refused to take a photo together.

“The award ceremony felt completely strange. Humanly speaking, you totally treat the people. I don’t know the people, I don’t know: Maybe they just don’t support the system in Russia,” said Linn Kazmaier on ARD. It is a shame that the political situation overshadows the games so much.

Kazmaier hostile after Russia protest: “I’m amazed that it’s making such a big impact”

The reactions to this on Instagram are mixed. “Thank you for your stance not to support the aggressor country,” writes one user. Other users describe Kazmaier and Baumann’s behavior as embarrassing and disrespectful. The two also had to face some hateful comments.

Kazmeier was shocked afterwards. “I think it’s good that everyone has their own opinion, but I’m amazed that it’s spreading so widely.”

She did what felt right at that moment and was touched by the positive reactions from Ukrainians.

At the Paralympic Games in Italy, Russians and Belarusians are allowed to compete under their own flag for the first time in more than ten years, and their anthem will be played if they win. Ukraine in particular loudly criticized this decision. The country has been resisting the Russian invasion for four years.

“My brother was in the war and was injured. He now has an amputation”

The Ukrainian para cross-country skier Oksana Schishkova finds clear words for this: “People die every day in Ukraine,” said the 34-year-old. “It is simply not normal that I am here with Russians now while friends and family are being injured or killed in Ukraine,” said Shishkova, who comes from the city of Kharkiv, which has been repeatedly attacked.

“My brother was in the war and was injured. He now has an amputation.” On Tuesday, Shishkova started 20 seconds after Russia’s Anastasija Bagijan in the visually impaired women’s qualifying race. Bagijan won gold.

Russian anthem at eight award ceremonies

The announcement that six Russian and four Belarusian athletes were going to northern Italy caused international criticism. Likewise at the opening ceremony of the Games, where many nations joined the Ukrainian boycott.

Nevertheless, the Russian anthem has already been heard at eight award ceremonies. The nation is in sixth place in the medal table on the seventh day of competition. So far they have won a total of four gold, one silver and three bronze medals in the sports of para cross-country skiing and para alpine skiing.

Aside from sports policy reasons, some athletes also expressed concerns about Russian performance before the games.

The para biathlete Johanna Recktenwald said in an interview with the Paralympics Zeitung: “You don’t know what they’ve done in the last few years. There were no doping controls carried out there, and now they can just start again.”

There is also approval for the Russians: “I’m glad they’re here”

There were mixed opinions among those watching. “I think they should be allowed to play the anthem. They can be proud of their performance, they are a proud nation, despite their cruel political leadership,” said Brian O’Driscoll of the United States, who was in the audience at the women’s giant slalom in Cortina on Thursday. For him, the participation of the Russian athletes is fine.

“I’m glad they’re here. I think the Paralympics are the only peaceful place in the world. I’m totally against Russia and support Ukraine. But we have to include everyone. If we start excluding, we’ll have problems,” he said.

In the audience that day you can only see the Russian flag flashing and then disappearing shortly after the departure of Varvara Voronchikhina, who won silver in the standing class. There were no Ukrainian fans there because no Ukrainians were competing.

Ukrainian woman should have her “Stop War” earrings taken away

How tense the situation is is also clear from the behavior towards Ukrainian athletes. According to the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee, Oleksandra Kononova had to take out her earrings in the national colors yellow and blue and with the inscription “Stop War” at the award ceremony after her victory in the biathlon sprint.

An IPC representative rudely tried to take it away from her, the association wrote. The IPC confirmed that Kononova had to remove her earrings. But she was asked politely and agreed.

A supporter of the German para alpine skier Andrea Rothfuss was much more critical of the participation of Russian athletes. “Basically, I’m not a fan of them being allowed to compete under their own flag. The athletes are allowed to perform, that’s definitely justified, but under their own flag it’s a bit difficult,” she said.

Gold for Russian: “A result that none of us wanted”

Rothfuss came fourth in the Super-G on the first day of competition. Without the Russian winner Varvara Vorontschishina, the 36-year-old might have ended up on the podium. “A result that none of us wanted with the situation at the moment. But from a sporting point of view you have to say quite clearly that Warwara had the best run,” she summarized in the sports show.

Joel, the friend of the Swede Ebba Aarsjoe, sees it similarly. She secured the bronze medal in the Super-G. “At the Olympics the athletes were allowed to start, but under a neutral flag. That would have been the better option,” he said. “But Ebba’s bronze medal came about because of her skiing, not because of the inclusion of the Russians in the competition.”

By Lilli Heim, Tim Rosenberger