Shipulin emphasized that he did not send his medal to the International Olympic Committee. "No. I fought for it. It's my medal, I will not give it up," he stated.
The reason for the team's disqualification was a doping case involving his relay partner Evgeny Ustyugov. As a result, the gold was awarded to the German team.
The athlete also noted that he is only willing to return the award if the neutral status of Russian athletes is revoked and national symbols are restored at international competitions.
Reaction from the German side
German biathlete Erik Lesser noted that the medal received by his team looks new and was likely not returned by the previous holders. The redistribution of medals occurred several years after the conclusion of the Sochi Olympics during investigations into the doping case.
