Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak given one-year ban for displaying letter 'Z'
Source: ESPN/Reuters
Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak given one-year ban for displaying letter 'Z'
Olympic Sports, Gymnastics
Russian artistic gymnast Ivan Kuliak has been handed a one-year ban for displaying the letter "Z" on his outfit during an event in Qatar in March, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said.
Kuliak, 20, who won bronze in the parallel bars at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha, displayed the letter as he stood on the podium next to Ukrainian gold medallist Illia Kovtun.
Russian forces have used the letter "Z" as an identifying symbol on their vehicles in Ukraine following the invasion. Some supporters of the invasion have also used the sign.
"Mr Kuliak breached the FIG Statutes, the FIG Code of Discipline, the FIG Code of Ethics, the FIG Code of Conduct and the FIG Technical Regulations when he wore the letter 'Z' on his singlet," the governing body said in a statement on Tuesday.
Read more: https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/33937186/russian-gymnast-ivan-kuliak-given-one-year-ban-displaying-letter-z?device=featurephone
"It turned out [it means], 'for victory' and 'for peace.' I didn't wish anything bad on anyone, I just showed my position."
Aww, poor thing, he just wants peace.
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