A week after Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak took the podium at the World Cup in Doha to receive the bronze medal with a “Z” on the garment, symbolizing support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, another tribute came in a Russian sports competition.
This time, it was the players of the Dynamo Moscow team and the SKA Neptyanik, who stood on the ice to recreate the last letter in the Latin alphabet, which is so identified with the recent fighting and appears on the Russian tank convoys as they enter Ukraine.
The match between the teams, which took place over the weekend, took place in the central league in Bendy.
To this industry with many followers in Russia, known as "Russian Hockey".
It's kind of ice hockey, but it's played on a bigger pitch, with eleven players per team and a ball instead of the traditional disc.
Photos posted on social media angered many Ukrainians and many surfers from around the world, requesting that these athletes no longer play and even demanded that a Finnish player in one of the teams leave the country, even though he seemed ashamed of the move and did not really want to cooperate.
Both Neptyanik and Dynamo Moscow had ties with the country's leadership.
Already from the period of the former Soviet Union and of course also now with Vladimir Putin.
The initials of the first team - SKA - represent the army of Sporting Klube.
That is, the Army Club.
As for Dynamo Moscow, the club is considered in Russia as "Interior Ministry players" and was even associated, during the Cold War, with the KGB.
#SlavaUkraini #UkraineWillResist #RussianWarCrimes #NatoNoFlyZone #BoycottRussia
Ban these players for life !, russian hockey players show support for putins war in Ukraine.
All players from the four remaining teams Dynamo Moskva, SKA Neftyanik, Vodnik and Kuzbass participated.
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- Jonas Hillerström (@LJHillerstrom) March 12, 2022
Ska Neftyanik and Dynamo Moscow draw a Z on the court before a bandy match.
THE WORLD'S MOST INFAMOUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST A COUNTRY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CRUSH RUSSIA!
#StopPutin #gorussia #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/dMxCpDIqeB
- Colo Palm (@ColoPalm) March 13, 2022
The winter sport “bandy” (a mix of ice-hockey and football) is huge in Russia, Sweden and Finland.
Tuomas Määttä, one of Finland's greatest stars, looked ashamed when he took part in forming the “Z symbol” ahead of his Russian club's first semifinal game against Dynamo Moscow.
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- Visegrád 24 (@ visegrad24) March 12, 2022 Wrong?
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