Winter Paralympics: and the Russian anthem sounded for the first time since 2014

These are images that we are no longer used to seeing. This Monday, the Russian anthem sounded at the top of an Olympic or Paralympic podium in this case during the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, a first since the Sochi Games in 2014. At 23, Varvara Voronchikhina is at the origin of this comeback, she was crowned Paralympic champion in super-G standing, beating the Frenchwoman Aurélie Richard.

Unlike the 2026 Winter Olympics, Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to compete under their national flags. A first since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 (since 2016, the Russians had been deprived of their colors for doping).

In September, the reintegration of Russia and Belarus was validated by a vote by members of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). A decision strongly criticized which led to the boycott of the opening ceremony by several countries. The French government chose not to attend as a protest. “We wanted to mark our disagreement,” explained the Minister of Sports, Marina Ferrari on France Inter. »

Already a bronze medalist in standing downhill, Varvara Voronchikhina now has two medals in these Games. Still engaged in super combined, slalom and giant slalom, it seems difficult to imagine that we will have to wait another 14 years to hear the Russian anthem again.