Olympic champion banned for attending pro-war rally

A Russian Olympic swimming champion who attended a rally in support of the invasion of Ukraine led by president Vladimir Putin has been banned from his sport for nine months.

Evgeny Rylov, 25, won the men's 100m and 200m backstroke titles in Tokyo last summer but has now been barred from competing until January next year by his sport's world governing body FINA.

Rylov was one of a number of athletes who attended the rally in Moscow last month and wore the pro-war 'Z' symbol on his clothing.

Rylov had been banned from competing by FINA until the end of this year anyway, along with all other Russian and Belarusian athletes, under guidance issued by the International Olympic Committee's executive board.

Swimwear company Speedo terminated its agreement with Rylov after his attendance at the rally, which took place at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, the venue for football's 2018 men's World Cup final.

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) launched disciplinary action against Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak after he displayed the Z symbol on the podium at an event in Qatar last month.