Athletes from Russia competing under their national flag at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games have secured their country’s first medals since returning from years of sporting bans.
On Saturday, Russian para alpine skiers Varvara Voronchikhina and Aleksei Bugaev each won bronze medals in the women’s and men’s downhill standing events, marking a symbolic return to the Paralympic podium.
Voronchikhina finished behind Sweden’s Ebba Aarsjoe, who claimed gold, and France’s Aurelie Richard, who took silver in the women’s race.
In the men’s competition, Switzerland’s Robin Cuche won gold while France’s Arthur Bauchet secured silver, with Bugaev completing the podium in third place.
The results mark a significant moment for Russian sport after years of exclusion from major international competitions.
Russia was first banned from the Paralympic Games in 2016 following revelations of a state-sponsored doping programme. The country later faced additional suspensions in 2022 after launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The invasion prompted international sporting bodies, including FIFA and UEFA, to suspend Russian national teams and clubs from global competitions.
At the current Paralympic Games, Russia is represented by six athletes who were granted wildcard entries by the International Paralympic Committee.
The decision to allow the athletes to compete has sparked criticism from Ukraine and several other countries, some of which boycotted the opening ceremony in protest.
Despite the controversy, the medals mark Russia’s first appearance on the Paralympic podium since the country’s return to the Games.
