Russian gymnast showed symbol in support of Ukraine invasion during award ceremony
The "Z" displayed by the gymnast, Ivan Kuliak, stands for Za pobedu in Russian or "for victory."
During the gymnastics World Cup award ceremony in Doha, Qatar ; the Russian gymnast, Ivan Kuliak, wore a “Z” made with medical adhesive on his leotard.
Said "Z" which means Za pobedu in Russian or "for victory", has been seen painted on the war tanks used by the Russian army during the invasion of Ukraine.
Kuliak, 20, came third in the parallel bars competition, where the winner was Illia Kovtun of Ukraine, followed by Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan. ⠀
In addition to wearing said warlike symbol on his clothing, the athlete refused to shake hands with the Ukrainian and even tried not to be portrayed in photographs with his opponent.
Sanction from the International Gymnastics Federation
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) last week banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in competitions and carrying its flag, making the Doha competition the last for those gymnasts.
After what happened with Kuliak, the FIG has announced that it will open a disciplinary procedure against the 20-year-old athlete.
Russian athletes who support the invasion of Ukraine
In addition to the sponsorship that Russian athletes receive from the government of Vladimir Putin, Kuliak completed his mandatory military service a few months ago, in the year 2021, so the affinity he feels for his country's army is clear.
On the other hand, the president of the Russian Gymnastics Federation, Andrey Leonidovich Kostin, in addition to holding this position, is a character very close to Putin, to the point of being affected by international sanctions against Russian banks, as he is also the president of VTB Bank.
Another athlete present in Doha, Iván Stretovich, expressed his support for the invasion of Ukraine through his Instagram account, where he also placed a “Z” in one of his stories.
Alexander Povetkin, a famous Russian former boxer, is another of the athletes who has been openly in favor of what is happening in Ukraine, through his Instagram account.
Additionally, the chess masters, Sergey Karjakin and Anatoli Karpov, also support the actions promoted by Putin, since, in Karpov's case, he is a deputy of the Russian Federal Parliament and a member of the political party of the Russian president.
Notably , Putin's United Russia political party is packed with Olympic champions and elite athletes, including figure skater Irina Rodnina, wrestler Aleksandr Karelin, hockey players Vladislav Tretiak and Slava Fetisov, tennis player Marat Safin, among others.
Even the world gymnastics and Olympic champion, Svetlana Khorkina, joined the Russian army after completing her sports career and currently serves as a colonel.