German cross-country skiers turned their backs on Russian gold medallists during the Winter Paralympics medal ceremony in Milan-Cortina, staging a silent protest against Russia's presence at the Games. This act occurred as Russia competed under its own flag for the first time since 2014, following the International Paralympic Committee's lifting of its suspension in September. The lifting came after Russia's suspension due to a state-sponsored doping scandal and subsequent sanctions over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The protest saw Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann, silver medallists in the women's sprint classic vision impaired event, refuse to face the Russian athletes as their national anthem played. Kazmaier expressed the ceremony felt 'completely strange,' stating, 'That it is so totally overshadowed by politics is simply a complete shame.' The IPC confirmed it is investigating the protest. The presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes led to boycotts of Friday's opening ceremony by teams including Ukraine, with Belarus also competing at the Games.