Russian swimmer Evgeny Rylov, 25, Olympic champion in Tokyo in the 100m and 200m backstroke, was suspended for nine months by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for his support of the invasion of Ukraine.
Fina’s disciplinary committee has decided to suspend Rylov “after his presence at an event that took place at the Luzhnki stadium in Moscow on March 18, 2022. The suspension becomes effective on April 20, 2022”, the entity announced in an announcement.
To celebrate eight years of the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea after the pro-Western revolution in Kiev in 2014, Russia organized, on March 18, a multitudinous meeting at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow.
The event brought together 95,000 people inside the arena and 100,000 outside. Several renowned Russian sportsmen, including the swimmer, participated in the act.
“Unfortunately, the nefarious policy that seeks to politicize sport continues,” lamented Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, commenting on the Fina’s decision.
On his birthday last year, Rylov published a photo celebrating the date on which he appears greeting Russian President Vladimir Putin with one of the gold medals won at the Tokyo Olympics.
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