RUSSIAN gymnast Ivan Kuliak faces a ban after publicly expressing his help for the battle in Ukraine.
Kuliak, 20, completed third within the parallel bars on the Apparatus World Cup in Doha and proceeded to put on a ‘Z’ on his chest when standing on the rostrum.
The letter has been featured on Russian tanks and military vehicles in Ukraine and has change into a logo of help for Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
To make issues worse, Kuliak wore the image when stood subsequent to Ukrainian Illia Kovtun who gained the occasion.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) stated it might ask the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation to open disciplinary proceedings in opposition to Kuliak “following his shocking behaviour”.
It is feasible the Russian may lose his bronze medal, with the FIG additionally revealing Kuliak could possibly be banned from competing of their sanctioned occasions for an unspecified length.
Oleg Verniaiev, who gained gold within the parallel bars for Ukraine on the Rio Olympics, wrote on Instagram: “Of course, you’ll excuse me, however let the Russians not shout that sport is out of politics!
“Congratulations to our guy, everything is in its place, glory to Ukraine.”
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Unfortunately, Kuliak shouldn’t be the one Russian sportsperson to come back out in help of the invasion.
Russian chess participant Sergey Karjakin has been banned from the Chess World Tour following his feedback supporting the battle.
Another gymnast Svetlana Khorkina, who gained seven Olympic medals between 1996 and 2004, shared the “Z” image on-line with the caption: “A campaign for those who are not ashamed to be Russian.”
It comes as Russia has issued an inventory of three key calls for on Ukraine to finish the battle, regardless of Ukrainian forces recapturing a metropolis after driving Putin’s forces out.
A Kremlin spokesman known as for Ukraine to stop army motion, change its structure to change into a impartial nation, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory and recognise the separatist republics of Luhansk and Donetsk.
