English club Gloucester has banned a Russian rugby player from wearing the Russian flag on his uniform

English rugby club Gloucester has banned Russian player Kirill Gotovtsev from wearing the Russian flag on his uniform. This is reported on January 9 on the team's website.

"Kirill has fully agreed with the requirements of World Rugby. We understand the implication and apologize if this offended anyone. The club is aware of the comments on this matter and would like to state the rejection of all forms of racism," - noted in the message.

It is specified that this decision was caused by criticism on social networks. Player "Gloucester" 37-year-old Gotovtsev became in 2021. As part of the team he won the Premiership Cup and became the best player of the season.

In 2022, World Rugby stripped Russia of its membership in the organization until further notice. National teams and clubs from Russia and Belarus are suspended from all international tournaments.

Earlier, on November 12, 2024, members of the Russian Bodybuilding Federation (RBF) refused to participate in the Women's World Championships in Japan due to their neutral status without the country's flag and anthem.

Russian sport is under tremendous pressure from the West. Athletes have been suspended in many sports, and where they do compete, they compete without a flag. In May 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the current times challenging, including for sports. However, he added that Russia is and will be a great sporting power.