Photo credit: scoopnest.com
The Russian delegation took part in the opening ceremony of the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne (Switzerland), TASS reported. The Russians marched at the parade under the national flag and wore ear flap hats in the form of a cat, which became one of the team’s mascots. The standard bearer parade will take place later, the Russian athlete Evgenia Dolzhenkova will carry the tricolor flag during it.
In December last year, the executive committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
approved sanctions against Russia, prohibiting athletes from performing under the national flag for four years. However, the measures did not take effect due to the fact that the proceedings were ongoing in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
One hundred and six Russian athletes will take part in the third Winter Youth Olympics, which will last until January 22. The Russian team is second by the number of participants. Athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 will compete for awards in sixteen sports, including hockey, figure skating, biathlon, cross-country skiing and others.
Like the classic Olympic Games, the Winter Youth Olympics are held every four years. In past competitions, the Russians became the third in the team standings, having won seven gold medals.
Russkiy Mir
