Kremlin condemns suspension of Olympic swimmer Rylov over Ukraine stance

The Kremlin on Friday condemned the nine-month suspension of Olympic champion swimmer Evgeny Rylov over his presence at a rally in support of Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.

"We believe this is absolutely contrary to the ideas of sport," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the decision by swimming's world governing body FINA to suspend Rylov. "When the strongest (competitors) lose the opportunity to participate, this ultimately harms international federations and international competitions."

Rylov, who won gold in the 100 and 200 metres backstroke events at last year's Tokyo Olympics, was among several athletes who attended a massive rally at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium last month hosted by President Vladimir Putin.