Ivan Kuliak

Ivan Vitalievich Kuliak (Russian: Иван Витальевич Куляк; born 28 February 2002) is a Russian artistic gymnast. He is the 2019 Russian Junior all-around and floor champion and the horizontal bar silver medalist. In March 2022, he gained notoriety for displaying a pro-invasion Z symbol during a medal ceremony, shortly after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ivan Kuliak
Иван Куляк
Ivan Kuliak at the 2022 Doha World Cup
Personal information
Full nameIvan Vitalievich Kuliak
Nickname(s)Vanyok, Vanya
Country represented Russia
Born (2002-02-28) 28 February 2002[1]
HometownObninsk, Russia
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior elite
Years on national team2016–present (RUS)
ClubLarisa Latynina School of Artistic Gymnastics / VFSO Dynamo
Head coach(es)Paramonov D.V., Nigmadzyanov R.G.[1]

Career
Kuliak in the still rings apparatus final at the 2019 Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

Kuliak took up gymnastics at age 4 in 2006 in Kaluga, Russia, when his mother enrolled him in gymnastics classes.[1]

In 2019 Kuliak became the Russian Junior all-around and floor champion and the silver medalist on horizontal bar.

He represented Russia at the 2019 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival and won the silver medal in the individual all-around, a bronze on floor and still rings and a silver medal as part of the Russian team.[2] In 2019 he received the title Master of Sports.

2022 World Cup controversy

In March 2022, Kuliak wore a "Z" sticker on his chest during the medal ceremony of the parallel bars competition at the 2022 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup series in Doha.[3] "Z", a letter which is not part of the Cyrillic alphabet, is a tactical marking used by Russian invading forces in Ukraine. Thus, it has become a pro-war symbol. Kuliak displayed the symbol while standing on the podium next to a Ukrainian athlete, Illia Kovtun, who won the event.[4] The FIG prior to the competitions decided to exclude Russian athletes from the competitions, but the prohibition only entered in force on 7 March.[5]

On 6 March the FIG announced that they will ask the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation to open disciplinary proceedings against Kuliak.[6] In a subsequent interview, on Tuesday 8 March, Kuliak said that he had no regrets and would "do exactly the same".[7][8] On 18 March, he appeared at the 2022 Moscow rally wearing an Olympic medal, though he has not competed in the Olympics.[9]

On 17 May the FIG sanctioned Kuliak with a one-year ban, ending 17 May 2023 or six months after the ban on Russian athletes is lifted and ruled that he is to be stripped of his bronze medal and prize money.[10]

On 14 September it was announced that Kuliak's appeal against his suspension was partially upheld. The Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF) Appeal Tribunal found that the one-year sanctions should be independent from measures preventing Russian gymnasts from competing at FIG events. This means his suspension would last until May 16, 2023.[11]

Competitive history
Pommel horse exercise during the boys' training at the 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships on the morning of 26 June 2019.
Year Event Team AA FX PH SR VT PB HB
Junior
2014 Olympic Hopes Russia2nd place, silver medalist(s)
2015 Hope of Russia2nd place, silver medalist(s)53rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)63rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Olympic Hopes Russia542nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Youth Spartakiad5877
Kaluga Region Governor's Cup3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2016 Youth Spartakiad2nd place, silver medalist(s)744443rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Kaluga Region Governor's Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
2017 Central Federal Championships63rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)81st place, gold medalist(s)
Russian Junior Championships (CMS)4113rd place, bronze medalist(s)58
Prize of the Olympic Champion A. Nemov2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)82nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Youth Spartakiad41588
Kaluga Region Governor's Cup1st place, gold medalist(s)
2018 Central Federal Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)52nd place, silver medalist(s)
Russian Junior Championships6762nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Summer Youth Spartakiad3rd place, bronze medalist(s)64106
Sport School Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)7
Voronin Junior Cup2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)5
2019 Russian Junior Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)7752nd place, silver medalist(s)
Hope of Russia1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
Memorial Erminio Visconti1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
Junior World Championships9117
Euro Youth Olympic Festival2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)53rd place, bronze medalist(s)775
Central Federal Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)
Senior
2020 Central Federal Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)5
2021 Central Federal Championships3rd place, bronze medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)63rd place, bronze medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)
National Championships5875
Russian Cup123rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Kaluga Region Governor's Cup2nd place, silver medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)72nd place, silver medalist(s)1st place, gold medalist(s)7
2022 Doha World CupDQ[lower-alpha 1]
National Championships1st place, gold medalist(s)7
  1. Kuliak was stripped of his bronze medal and prize money after being sanctioned for wearing pro-war symbolism on the medal podium

References
  1. . gymnastics.sport
  2. . europeangymnastics.com
  3. "Russian gymnast investigated for wearing pro-war symbol on podium next to Ukrainian". BBC News Online. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. "Russian gymnast stands on the podium with symbol supporting invasion of Ukraine on chest". Marca. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  5. "FIG adopts further measures against Russia and Belarus". gymnastics.sport. International Gymnastics Federation. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  6. "Incident at the Doha World Cup – FIG statement". gymnastics.sport. International Gymnastics Federation. 6 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  7. Ingle, Sean (8 March 2022). "Unrepentant gymnast Ivan Kuliak would show 'Z' insignia for Russia again". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  8. Ben Church. "Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak says he has no regrets about wearing". CNN. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  9. Bondar, Gregory (23 March 2022). "Олімпійський чемпіон Верняєв висміяв спортсмена з РФ, який вийшов на мітинг на підтримку війни з чужою медаллю". The UNIAN. Kyiv, Ukraine. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  10. "Russian gymnast sanctioned with one year ban by the Disciplinary Commission". International Gymnastics Federation. May 17, 2022.
  11. "GEF Appeal Tribunal partially upholds the appeal filed by a Russian gymnast". International Gymnastics Federation. September 14, 2022.
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