Lausanne, Switzerland — Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak has been given a one-year ban for displaying an emblem on his uniform supporting the invasion of Ukraine.
Kuliak had taped the "Z" image - seen on Russian tanks and army automobiles in Ukraine and embraced by supporters of the struggle - to his vest for a medal ceremony at a World Cup occasion in March.
Together with the ban, Kuliak should return the bronze medal he received in parallel bars, the Worldwide Gymnastics Federation stated.
The 20-year-old Kuliak had stood subsequent to a gold medalist from Ukraine on the rostrum in Doha, Qatar.
"If the protecting measures conserving Russian athletes from competing are nonetheless in place on 17 Could 2023, the ban shall proceed and expire six months after the elimination of stated measures," the federation's disciplinary fee stated in its ruling.
The fee discovered that Kuliak breached federation statutes of self-discipline, ethics, code of conduct and technical laws "when he wore the letter 'Z' on his singlet in the course of the competitors and the award ceremony."
Kuliak, a former nationwide junior all-around champion who didn't compete on the Tokyo Olympics, can attraction inside 21 days.
The panel stated no violations had been established towards Russian delegation chief Valentina Rodionenko and coach Igor Kalabushkin.