Gloucester have been criticized by their own fans for printing the Russian flag on the back of Kirill Gotovtsev’s shirt, in contravention of the country’s widespread ostracism from international sport.
Since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been banned from participating in multiple sports or at least under its own flag. At last summer’s Olympic Games, Russian athletes were They are not allowed to compete under the flag of their own country. and had to be classified as “neutral athletes”.
World Rugby also banned Russia from qualifying for the 2023 men’s World Cup and the country would currently not be allowed to compete in the 2027 tournament in Australia.
However, a gloucester One supporter discovered that Gotovtsev was allowed to wear a small emblem of the country’s flag just below her neckline.
Gloucester have a policy of putting a country’s flag on the shirts of all their Premiership internationals and Gotovtsev is understood to have had the Russian flag on his shirt since joining the club four years ago.
Gloucester supporter Richard Paish posted on poor”.
Prop Gotovtsev grew up in Siberia and originally trained as a wrestler before switching to bobsleigh and eventually settling on rugby.
The 37-year-old signed for Gloucester in 2021 and has made more than 50 appearances for the club.
“When I was 10 years old, I started freestyle wrestling and immediately fell in love with the sport. I found myself doing it for 15 years! There were 15 years of confrontation with myself and with the strongest of rivals. I managed to win several international tournaments and was awarded in the national championship,” he said on the Gloucester club website.
“But I couldn’t reach the top of this sport. Wrestling gave me the path to life and is the basis of my personality, both physically and mentally. But I felt unrealized potential in myself and made one of the most difficult decisions of my life: I switched to another sport, bobsleigh!
“I spent a year and a half in this sport, it gave me unique knowledge and technique, but the selection for the Sochi Olympics left a lot to be desired. In February 2014, with all my experience and ambitions, I arrived at Krasny Yar Rugby Club, where I began my rugby journey.”
Gloucester Rugby and Premiership Rugby have been contacted for comment.