Gloucester Apologises for Russian Flag on Kirill Gotovtsev’s Shirt and Pledges Removal
Gloucester has issued an apology after the Russian flag appeared on prop Kirill Gotovtsev’s club shirt, stating that it will no longer feature on his jersey moving forward.
Since 2015, the club has included national flags on the Premiership shirts of any player with international caps. However, following “internal discussions and Kirill’s blessing,” the Russian flag will no longer appear on Gotovtsev’s shirt, with flags from other nations continuing to be displayed.
The decision comes after Russia was banned from international rugby competitions by World Rugby in 2022 due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
A statement from Gloucester on Wednesday said, “We remain fully supportive of World Rugby’s 2022 sanctions related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.” It added, “Kirill fully complied with the requirements of World Rugby and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) at the time and continues to do so.”
The club also acknowledged the sensitive nature of the Russian flag, apologising for any offence it may have caused. “Kirill’s national flag will no longer appear on his shirt in line with the sanctions. We understand the connotations of the flag in question and apologise for any offence this may have caused.”
Gotovtsev, 37, has been with Gloucester since 2021 and has made over 50 Premiership appearances. The flag had been on his shirt since he joined the club, but it gained wider attention during Gloucester’s televised victory over Sale Sharks last weekend.
The club also stressed that it is committed to tackling racism, adding, “The club is aware of ongoing commentary regarding this matter and would like to express its deep disdain for all forms of racism. Any individual expressing such views will not be welcome at Kingsholm.”
Gloucester is not the only club to recognise international players with national flags on their shirts; Bath Rugby also adopts this practice.
