Olympic champion Evgeny Rylov loses Speedo deal after attending Putin rally
By Issy Ronald, CNN
Updated 1519 GMT (2319 HKT) March 22, 2022
Evgeny Rylov leaves the pool after winning a gold medal and breaking the Olympic record in the men's 200m backstroke final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 30, 2021 in Tokyo.(CNN)Swimwear maker Speedo has ended its sponsorship deal with two-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Evgeny Rylov after the Russian attended a rally hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Rylov, who won gold in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke events at last year's Tokyo Olympic Games, was among eight top Russian athletes who appeared on stage at the rally in Moscow last week, according to Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. The rally commemorated the eighth year of Russia's annexation of Crimea — which is deemed illegal by the Ukrainian government and not recognized in the West.«Following his attendance at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at the weekend, Speedo can confirm that it has terminated the sponsorship of Evgeny Rylov with immediate effect,» the company said in a statement to CNN.«We condemn the war in Ukraine in the strongest possible way and stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, our athletes and our teammates who have been impacted by the conflict.»«As part of this decision, any outstanding sponsorship fees will be donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),» Speedo added. Read MoreRylov, 25, competed in Tokyo as part of the Russian Olympic Committee due to Russia's ban from major international sporting competitions over doping non-compliance. According to pictures on social media, Rylov wore his Olympic medals at the rally. He also sported, reports Reuters, the letter 'Z' on his outfit — a letter used by Russian forces as an