Varvara Voronchikhina of Russia secured her second gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games on Saturday, winning the women’s slalom standing event. The victory marks Russia’s fifth gold medal of the competition, propelling the nation to fifth place in the medal standings with a total of nine medals as the Games approach their closing ceremony on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Voronchikhina previously won gold in the super-G and also claimed silver in the giant slalom and bronze in the downhill. Her success is part of a larger Russian performance that has seen ten athletes competing under their national flag and anthem – a return to full participation not seen since the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi.
The return of the Russian team to full participation has not been without controversy. During the opening ceremony in Verona last week, spectators reportedly booed the Russian delegation as they paraded with their flag. This reaction stems from a history of doping allegations that led to a ban from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, where Russian athletes were only permitted to compete under a neutral flag. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus were banned from the Beijing Paralympics, though athletes from both nations were later allowed to compete as neutrals at the Paris Summer Games.
Voronchikhina’s initial gold in the super-G was achieved without incident, but the subsequent victory by Russian cross-country skier Anastasiia Bagiian in the women’s sprint classic vision impaired event drew a visible protest. German silver medalist Linn Kazmaier and her guide, Florian Baumann, turned their backs during the podium ceremony, a gesture of dissent against Russia’s inclusion in the Games.
The participation of Russian athletes at Milan-Cortina comes amidst increased scrutiny of independent journalism within Russia. The Moscow Times, a publication providing reporting on Russia, has been designated as an “undesirable” organization by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, and labeled a “foreign agent,” actions the publication describes as attempts to silence independent reporting.
