Anton Shipulin, a well-known and now-retired Russian biathlete, has publicly declared that he will not return his gold medal from the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, despite the fact that the Russian team was disqualified after teammate Yevgeny Ustugov was found guilty of doping. When asked during an interview on the Match TV channel if he had returned the medal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Shipulin defiantly responded, 'No, why? I earned it. It’s mine, and I will not give it back.' This statement reflects not only his personal views but also the growing tensions regarding the status of Russian athletes in international sports.

During a ceremony held in Antholz on Sunday in connection with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, medals were awarded for both the 2014 team relay and the 2010 mass start events, further fueling the conversation around the legacy of Russian athletes implicated in doping scandals. Shipulin took to Instagram to suggest that he might consider returning his medal only if the IOC and international federations would lift the sanctions on Russian athletes, which have prevented them from competing under their national flag and anthem. This condition signifies the ongoing struggles Russian athletes face as they navigate their identities and rights in the ever-evolving landscape of international sports regulation since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.