Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, 20, has sparked controversy following wearing a jersey with a ‘Z’ sign in support of the invasion of Ukraine at the 2022 FIG Mechanical Gymnastics World Cup awards ceremony.
On the 7th local time, AFP news reported that Kuliak wore a jersey with a ‘Z’ at the 2022 FIG Mechanical Gymnastics World Cup awards ceremony held in Doha, Qatar on the 5th.
The ‘Z’ sign is the Russian initial for victory. The Russian Ministry of Defense even issued a statement saying that the ‘Z’ means victory.
“The ‘Z’ sign is a sign affixed to a Russian tank or vehicle that invaded Ukraine and is recognized as supporting aggression,” the media said. told
The BBC also reported that “in Russia, pro-war politicians also use this ‘Z’ symbol.”
Meanwhile, Kleak won the bronze medal on the parallel bar in this competition. The FIG bans Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in international competitions starting this week.
