DUBAI: Swimming’s world governing body FINA said on Friday it had suspended Russian Olympic gold medalist Evgeny Rylov for nine months after he attended a rally in support of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
The move drew an angry reaction from the Kremlin and Russian sports officials.
Rylov, who won gold in the 100 and 200 meters 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.
Rylov and other athletes wore the letter “Z” on their outfit, an identifying symbol used by supporters of what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
FINA said the suspension came “following Mr. Rylov’s attendance and conduct at an event held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.”
Rylov, who also lost his sponsorship deal with swimwear maker Speedo over his presence at the rally, told Sport Express newspaper his lawyers were reviewing the case but it was still unclear whether they would appeal his suspension.
The Kremlin said FINA’s decision showed the “politicization of sport.”
“We believe this is absolutely contrary to the ideas of sport,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. “When the strongest (competitors) lose the opportunity to participate, this ultimately harms international federations and international competitions.”
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin was quoted by TASS news agency as saying Rylov’s suspension was “discriminatory and politicized.”
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, president of Russia’s Olympic Committee, called it a case of discrimination based on nationality.
“To suspend an athlete for nine months for taking part in a concert is not even an embarrassment, it’s a joke,” Pozdnyakov wrote on the Telegram messenger app.
FINA has already canceled all its events that were set to take place in Russia and has barred Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from taking part in its competitions until the end of the year.
Swimming-FINA suspends Olympic champion Rylov for nine months over Putin rally
https://arab.news/7mhw8
Swimming-FINA suspends Olympic champion Rylov for nine months over Putin rally
- Rylov and other athletes wore the letter "Z" on their outfit
- The Kremlin said FINA's decision showed the "politicization of sport"
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
