'Shocking behaviour': Russian gymnast shows 'Z' symbol on podium next to Ukrainian winner

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Source: The Guardian

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, who sported an insignia linked to the invasion of Ukraine on a medals podium, had been called out for his “shocking behaviour”.

Kuliak’s shirt had the letter “Z” prominently placed as he stood next to Ukraine’s Kovtun Illia, the gold medallist at a Gymnastics World Cup event in Doha.

The “Z” has been seen daubed on Russian tanks and vehicles in Ukraine and has come to symbolise support for the invasion.

Kuliak had won the bronze medal on Saturday.

“The International Gymnastics Federation confirms that it will ask the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation to open disciplinary proceedings against Ivan Kuliak following his shocking behaviour at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha, Qatar,” a statement from the ruling body said.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/07/shocking-behaviour-russian-gymnast-shows-z-symbol-on-podium-next-to-ukrainian-winner

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[Deuxcents]

1. Some Russian athletes need to be disqualified

Their drug cheating n brutish attitudes are not signs of sportsmanship

[TheBlackAdder]

14. Those Z markings are perfect to sight a Javelin anti-tank missile.

[Deuxcents]

20. Let's give them more, then

[left-of-center2012]

2. "Kuliak's shirt had the letter "Z"

Kuliak’s shirt had the letter “Z” ... The “Z” has been seen on Russian tanks

[FarPoint]

3. Prime example to.....

immediately band all Russians from all competitive international sports....all.... Use his name/photo as the "poster boy" as to why all russians are banned.

[dalton99a]

4. +1

[BigmanPigman]

12. Ditto!

[GopherGal]

21. Int'l Gym Fed has banned all Russian and Belarussian athletes and officials

... effective 07 March.

By the time they announced it, athletes were en route or had already arrived at this competition.

Also, the women's uneven bars medal ceremony was, er, interesting, as two Russian gymnasts placed first and second, with a Ukrainian in third.

That is exactly what occurred as Daniela Batrona took bronze while the two Russian gymnasts took the gold and silver. But what happened next was an unusual medal ceremony, if not one that was completely unprecedented in gymnastics history where the Ukrainian and Russian gymnasts were kept segregated.

Daniela Batrona walked out to collect her medal while draped in a Ukrainian flag. She stood on the podium in the bronze medal placement while she took her victory celebration. Daniela then walked off the podium after mounting it alone and disappeared from the ceremony. Only then could the two Russian gymnasts enter and accept their medals. The iconic moment where three competitors would all embrace on the top of the podium and pose for photos would not occur in uneven bars finals at 2022-Doha.

[msongs]

5. maybe he should be in the russian army... nt

[blue-wave]

6. Yes,

send him to the front lines. He'd probably pee in his pants. But he's sooo brave with tape on his shirt.

[Walleye]

7. Was he tested for doping? Russian athletes shouldn't be allowed in international competition at all

[texasfiddler]

8. The Z is a good target. NT

[Martin68]

9. Yeah. So, like, the black power fist raise is considered too political?

[keopeli]

13. Was the Black Power fist saying, I support the unprovoked murder of many thousands of people?

[Martin68]

57. Sorry, I guess my sarcasm was not detected as such. My comment was a reaction to punishment of

athletes for giving a black power salute, but none for wearing a "Z" in support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Get it?

[madaboutharry]

19. This "Z" is not a symbol of resistance.

It is the exact opposite. It is a symbol of imperialism and the killing of innocent civilians, it is the like symbols worn by the Nazis.

[relayerbob]

50. Completely different

This isn't "politics", it isn't a peaceful protest against living conditions, this is supprting an unprovoked, murderous invasion of a peaceful country.

[BidenRocks]

10. It may as well

been a swastika.

[chowder66]

11. Turn the Z on its side and you get an N...... N.Z..... Nazi. Fuck them.

[FrankTC]

15. It's Their Q

Make the cult sign, hold hands, and jump off the cliff with your lemming friends. Morons.

[live love laugh]

27. Yep Z equals Q

[luv2fly]

16. Is it not possible that he was forced to do this?

People just assume he's a jerk.

[blue-wave]

17. No

Not with that smirk on his face in the one response post.

[luv2fly]

18. I'm sorry, but you don't know that

Your smirk could be his smile... he did win a medal after all.

[blue-wave]

23. Just as you don't know

about what you call his "smile." Therefore it could still be a smirk.

[luv2fly]

24. Absolutely, you are correct

Yet you've chosen to see the worst in him. Okay.

[blue-wave]

26. And you're seeing the best??? Because??

He has a Russian war symbol taped to his chest, that represents the death of thousands of Ukrainians and the destruction of Ukrainian cities???

[luv2fly]

31. You don't know that he had a choice

Not sure why that's hard to understand.

[Wuddles440]

38. You always...

have a choice and must find the courage to decide between right and wrong. I've seen enough smirks in my lifetime to know that this little shit knows what he's doing and is an absolute punk. He looks like something Putin would use for recruiting his version of Hitler Youth.

[ShazzieB]

45. Absolutely agree.

He looks smirky af to me. I thought so before I read your comments. Now I know I'm not the on.y one who noticed.

[BlueIdaho]

22. Remind me again

Why are Russians competing for anything anywhere?

[Rebl2]

51. Exactly

They should take medal away from him

[BlueIdaho]

52. Add those ROC medals to that too!

The International Olympic Committee should remove all medals from Russians competing in the Chinese Olympics.

[Bayard]

25. Easy fix for captured Russian tanks

Add, "elensky", after the Z.

[GReedDiamond]

28. YES!!!

That's what it means!

Is there a source for this, or is this just some kind of speculation?

It makes sense to me: Z=Zelenskyy.

[ShazzieB]

46. I'd say the article linked in the o.p. counts as a source. 😏

[Bayard]

55. Sorry, dear

I was being facetious.

[Jetheels]

29. Maybe it's the Z as in nazi.

[keopeli]

30. That's what happens when you give a little boy a bunch of steroids.

[The Jungle 1]

35. So you like the russian mob?

Are you working for the russian mob?

[LisaL]

36. WTF is wrong with you?

NT

[The Jungle 1]

42. WTF is wrong with you calm the F down.

Apparently you do not like the free exchange ideas that this site provides.
If you don't like what I post don't read it.

[Calista241]

40. if they're a mobster, then convict them of a crime in court.

Then you can deport them all you want after they've served their sentence.

[The Jungle 1]

43. Yes that would be the right way to do it.

How ever the world is close to another huge world war. Perhaps we need to push back even harder.
Russia is still not getting the message. Are they laughing at us?

[jcgoldie]

48. So I guess internment camps for Japanese Americans were a pretty swell idea too eh?

This crap doesn't belong on DU.

[PatrickforB]

34. So where's the line? We send all the Russians 'home' even though America is

their home.

Now what? The Mexicans? The Guatamalans? The Cubans? The African Americans? The Irish? Germans? Scottish? British?

Where are you going to stop?

[The Jungle 1]

37. Well that is the question and why I said we need to talk.

I am ok with sending the Irish back. I am Irish. Free pub crawl.
I am pretty sure the Native Americans would like to see all the people you list sent back.
The russian mob is causing great harm in this nation. What I read is that there is only 400 - 500 Mexican mob members in the USA. FBI Director Louis Freeh stated that over 200 of Russia's 6,000-odd crime gangs operate with American counterparts in 17 U.S. cities in 14 states.
I think it is time to do something about russian mob crime. Russians have over 200 separate mob groups operating in coordination with russian mobs from russia.

[LisaL]

39. Why wait until somebody sends you back?

You are free to go.

[The Jungle 1]

41. Why do you get so upset and serious.

We have no control over this situation. My comments are all bull shit with no power. Calm the fuck down.

[ShazzieB]

44. Sounds like you need to take your own advice.

[niyad]

49. Posting something designed to stir people up, and then telling everyone to, in your

words, "calm the f*** down", is deliberately provocative, not to mention almost comical in its obviousness.

[jcgoldie]

47. racist much?

This post sucks.

[notinkansas]

53. His expression -

he looks like an absolute little twerp. Knows nothing and proud of it.

[melm00se]

54. THIS is the Z

that Ukraine needs

[RocRizzo55]

56. If he is so much in favor of invasion

Why is he not in a military uniform?