(Reuters) – Swimwear maker Speedo has ended its sponsorship with Russia’s double Olympic swimming champion Evgeny Rylov after he attended a rally hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow final week, Olympics information web site insidethegames reported.
The sport’s world governing physique FINA mentioned in a press release carried by swimming web site SwimSwam that it was “deeply upset” by Rylov’s look on the rally and would examine the matter.
Rylov, who gained gold in 100 and 200 metres backstroke occasions finally yr’s Tokyo Olympics, was amongst eight athletes recognized on the rally final Friday and sported the letter ‘Z’ on his outfit, insidethegames mentioned.
Russian forces have used the letter ‘Z’ as an figuring out image on their autos in Ukraine following Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour, which it calls a “particular army operation.”
Some supporters of the invasion have additionally displayed the image.
“Following his attendance on the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on the weekend, Speedo can verify that it has terminated the sponsorship of Rylov with instant impact,” insidethegames quoted Speedo as saying in a press release.
“We condemn the struggle in Ukraine within the strongest doable manner and stand in solidarity with the folks of Ukraine, our athletes and our crew mates who’ve been impacted by the battle.”
Speedo and FINA didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark. Reuters has additionally sought remark from Rylov through Russia’s swimming federation.
The report added that Speedo would donate the steadiness of Rylov’s price to the United Nations Refugee Agency.
FINA has already cancelled this yr’s World Junior Swimming Championships that had been set to happen in Kazan, Russia in mild of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It additionally withdrew the FINA Order awarded to Putin in 2014.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
