Ukrainian Paralympians Cover Medals On Sochi Podium In Silent Protest
The Ukrainian paralympians found a way to protest the Russian regime’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s athletes cover their silver medals with hands after finishing second in cross country 4×2.5km open relay at the 2014 Winter Paralympic, Saturday, March 15, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. The majority of Ukraine’s Paralympic medalists covered their medals during medal ceremonies. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)
The AP reported:
On a podium in Russia, Ukrainian athletes cover their medals in a silent protest against the turmoil being inflicted on their country by the host country of the Paralympics.
Ukraine’s team decided against boycotting the Sochi Games, which end on Sunday, despite Russian forces taking over part of their country — the Crimea peninsula — in the week before the Paralympics.
So Ukraine’s athletes, who are prohibited from expressing political messages on the podium under Paralympic rules, found another way to protest.
“It is a silent protest, fighting for peace for everyone … because the situation in Ukraine didn’t change,” Ukraine team official Nataliya Harach told The Associated Press.
Ukraine’s cross-country skiing relay team covered their silver medals as Russian rivals collected their gold medals at a ceremony on Saturday.
“It is not a political protest, it’s us fighting for peace,” Harach said. “It’s a different kind of protest. We put our hands on our medals because you cannot do anything more.
