Russian Flag Raised at Paralympics After 10 Years

For the first time in a decade, the Russian flag was raised at the Paralympics after Russian athletes achieved podium finishes at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics. This significant event follows the International Paralympic Committee's approval of Russia's participation during its General Assembly in September.

Russian athletes had been barred from competing under their national flag due to a ban imposed after doping violations at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which was further extended following the 2023 invasion of Ukraine. The last time the Russian flag was hoisted at an international sporting event was during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics.

Aleksei Bugaev and Varvara Voronchikhina won bronze medals in the men's and women's downhill standing events, respectively, and celebrated with a small group of Russian supporters waving the flag. Bugaev, who won his first medal since Sochi 2014, expressed happiness for Russian athletes competing under their flag again.