Overview
- Seventeen Russians and nine Belarusians competed at the Para cross-country World Cup in Finsterau, marking their first return to such an event in Germany since 2022.
- Organizers removed all national flags at the venue to comply with Ukrainian law that would otherwise force withdrawals, while Russian and Belarusian athletes still raced in national suits.
- German coach Ralf Rombach described Ukrainian athletes as visibly distressed, and Paralympic champion Anja Wicker called the decision to allow the starts morally and sportingly wrong.
- Integrity concerns resurfaced as Rombach questioned the thoroughness of anti-doping checks despite assurances from the International Ski Federation that controls were conducted properly.
- The teams are using the World Cups to pursue Milan–Cortina slots, including via wildcards, with three Russians also entered for alpine races in Saalbach and reports that Poland may bar entries at a subsequent stop.