LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Russian Olympic gold medalist swimmer Evgeny Rylov has been banned from the sport for nine months for appearing at a rally in support of President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rylov stood on stage with medalists from other Olympic sports at the event last month and wore a jacket with a “Z” on the chest. The letter isn’t part of the Russian alphabet but has become a symbol of support for Russian troops after it was used as a marker on Russian armored vehicles operating in Ukraine. “The bureau also confirmed its position that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials will not be invited to any FINA event through the end of 2022,” FINA said on Thursday. AdvertisementInternational Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach indicated he backs disciplinary measures against athletes such as Rylov.

Source: Huffington Post April 23, 2022 18:05 UTC