Olympic champion Evgeny Rylov loses Speedo deal after attending Putin rally
CNN
Swimwear maker Speedo ends its sponsorship of Russia's double Olympic swimming champion Evgeny Rylov after he attended a rally hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin last week.
Rylov, who won gold in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke events at last year's Tokyo Olympic Games, was among eight top Russian athletes who appeared on stage at the rally in Moscow last week, according to Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. The rally commemorated the eighth year of Russia's annexation of Crimea -- which is deemed illegal by the Ukrainian government and not recognized in the West.
"Following his attendance at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at the weekend, Speedo can confirm that it has terminated the sponsorship of Evgeny Rylov with immediate effect," the company said in a statement to CNN.