Ivan Kuliak, a Russian gymnast who recently won bronze in the parallel bars at a FIG World Cup event in Doha, Qatar, attended the award ceremony wearing a symbol associated with the ongoing Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Russian athletes participating in the event are barred from wearing their national uniforms due to a ban imposed amid the current situation in Ukraine.
Instead of a national insignia of some sort, Kuliak wore a makeshift letter “Z” on his chest as he participated in the award ceremony, with that particular symbol recently became synonymous with the Russian military operation in Ukraine as military vehicles engaged in it often feature the “Z” mark.
Last month, Russia formally recognised the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR respectively) and launched a military operation in Ukraine after DPR and LPR authorities asked for assistance to defend themselves from attacks by Ukrainian troops.
The Russian government stated that the goal of this operation is to neutralise Ukraine's military capacity, with precision strikes being carried out against the Ukrainian military infrastructure.