MOSCOW, March 20, Andrey Simonenko. Hope for a positive verdict from the International Disciplinary Commission Federation of Gymnastics (FIG) in the case of Russian gymnast Ivan Kulyak is very weak, says the coach of the Russian national team Valentina Rodionenko. In early March, Kulyak won a bronze medal in exercises on parallel bars at the World Cup in Doha. The Russian came to the award ceremony with the letter Z applied to the uniform, which has become an unofficial symbol of support for the special operation in Ukraine. The athlete later explained that this was a response to the provocations of the Ukrainian gymnasts. After that, the FIG opened a disciplinary case against Kulyak. «On March 9, I, the withdrawing coach and Vanya Kulyak received messages from the FIG disciplinary commission about the consideration of our case. Disqualification for all three, deprivation of Vanya's medals and bonuses, for us with the withdrawing coach a fine of 500 Swiss francs. Hope for a positive outcome is very weak, you know what moods are in Europe and in the world. We are under sanctions, like all sports. Although a lot, of course, will depend on lawyers,» Rodionenko said. «There is no punishment,» the coach continued. «We did not violate anything and did not provoke anyone. Nobody told us anything there. We flew away, and then, apparently, the Ukrainian side turned to the disciplinary commission. Which itself provoked us from the first day of the competition and «I tried to create a conflict situation. I, as the head of the delegation, turned to the FIG representative, he said that he had reprimanded them, but they did not obey.»
