Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak is beneath investigation by the Worldwide Gymnastics Federation (FIG) after he taped the letter “Z” over the Russian Gymnastics Federation (RGF) brand on the Doha World Cup.
The “Z” is taken into account the image of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The letter is being displayed on Russian autos in Ukraine. It’s being interpreted as which means “Za pobedy,” which means for victory or “Zapad,” which means west.
Many Russians are placing the “Z” on their automobiles or taking photos forming the letters in varied methods to point out their help of the invasion. Russian navy are additionally mentioned to be making Z letters out of the badges of fallen Ukrainian troopers.
(All images through @kamilkazani/Twitter.)
Russian gymnasts competing in Doha have been doing in order impartial athletes and have been required to cowl any RGF logos.
Russian gymnasts have been already competing as RGF via December 17, 2022 after the nation obtained a two-year ban from the World Anti-Doping Company (WADA) in 2019 for its state-sponsored doping program.
In response to Kuliak’s actions in the course of the males’s parallel bars closing on March 5, the FIG launched the next assertion on March 6:
“The Worldwide Gymnastics Federation confirms that it’s going to ask the Gymnastics Ethics Basis to open disciplinary proceedings in opposition to male creative gymnast Ivan Kuliak (RUS) following his surprising habits on the Equipment World Cup in Doha, Qatar.”
The assertion and investigation come after many members of the gymnastics neighborhood demanded the FIG take motion in opposition to Kuliak, 20, who wore the image throughout competitors and on the rostrum because the third-place finisher behind Ukraine’s Illia Kovtun and Milad Karimi (KAZ), who completed first and second, respectively.
Kuliak’s actions weren’t stopped by competitors officers or Russian delegation members.
“You recognize, he didn’t ask us for recommendation,” mentioned Valentina Rodionenko, the RGF head coach. “It was positively his personal initiative. Our guys are Russian patriots. I suppose this factor [patriotism] affected him and he didn’t tell us. I believe that he did all the things proper.”
On February 26, the FIG introduced through its Govt Committee assembly notes that Russian and Belarusian flags and anthems have been banned from FIG-sanctioned occasions till additional notes. As well as, all FIG World Cup and World Problem Cup occasions scheduled to happen within the two nations are cancelled, and no different FIG occasions can be allotted to Russia or Belarus till additional discover. Any FIG occasions deliberate to happen in Russia and Belarus have been faraway from the FIG calendar and can now not be acknowledged by the FIG. No additional occasions going down within the nations can be sanctioned by the FIG till additional discover.
After receiving backlash for not following the Worldwide Olympic Committee’s (IOC) advice to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officers, the FIG introduced on March 4 that “given the huge escalation of the Russian navy invasion of Ukraine… Russian and Belarusian athletes and officers, together with judges, should not allowed to participate in FIG competitions or FIG-sanctioned competitions from 7 March 2022 till additional discover.”
Russian athletes that have been already in Doha have been allowed to compete as impartial athletes.
Per the FIG, at the moment “Russian and Belarusian nationals who’re members of the FIG Govt Committee or of FIG technical committees should not affected by this measure when performing of their capability as FIG Authorities.”
The 18-year-old Kovtun left Ukraine on the finish of February to compete on the Cottbus World Cup, per Gymnovosti. He awoke on the primary day of that competitors to seek out out Ukraine had been invaded and Kiyv, the place he lives and trains, was being bombed.
The Ukrainian delegation has not been in a position to return dwelling as a result of invasion.
In its February 26 determination, the FIG additionally acknowledged it should “ask the FIG Basis for Solidarity to allocate particular assist to help Ukrainian athletes and different members of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation hit by the conflict.
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