Russian ice hockey players have sung their national anthem after clinching the gold medal in overtime against Germany at the Winter Olympic Games, despite the anthem being banned as punishment for a years-long Russian doping scandal.
Russia, competing as neutral athletes at PyeongChang, scored in overtime through Kirill Kaprizov for a 4-3 victory.
Later, at the medal ceremony, the winning team sang the Russian anthem while the music for the Olympic anthem was played in the arena, despite being barred by Olympic authorities from having their flag raised or anthem played.
With Germany’s Patrick Reimer off for high sticking midway through the extra period, the Olympic Athletes from Russia went on a four-on-three man advantage and Kaprizov hit a pass from Nikita Gusev past German goaltender Danny aus den Birken.
The Germans won silver, their best finish ever in Olympic ice hockey.
The Russians hit the ice hours after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided not to restore their delegation’s Olympic status, which would have enabled them to march under their flag at the closing ceremony later on Sunday.
As the OAR players received their gold medals on the ice, the Olympic flag was raised in place of the Russian flag and the Olympic anthem was played. But the players, arms around each other, sang the Russian anthem instead.
Singing the Russian anthem on the field of play is a violation of the IOC’s rules on neutrality, which were imposed on Russia as part of sanctions punishing the nation over systematic doping.
