Russian Flag Returns to Paralympics After a Decade, Anthem to Play for Gold

• Russian athletes will compete under their national flag at the upcoming Milan Cortina Paralympic Games, a first in over a decade.
• Russia's national anthem will be played at medal ceremonies if its athletes win gold.
• This marks a full restoration of Russia's national identity in the Olympic world, well before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
• The International Paralympic Committee allocated six slots to Russia's National Paralympic Committee for the games.
• Russia was previously banned due to a state-sponsored doping program and sanctions following the 2022 Ukraine invasion; Belarus also receives four slots.