Viner's comments after Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) athlete Dina Averina was beaten to the individual all-around title by Israel's Linoy Ashram at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were deemed "abusive and in violation of FIG rules" by the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF).

The GEF proceedings also related to the alleged "retaliatory withdrawal" of Natalya Kuzmina’s candidacy in the elections to the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee shortly after the Olympics and Viner’s "failure to duly cooperate with the investigation".

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has claimed that Viner's suspension is an example of "discrimination".

"We consider the recent decision of the International Gymnastics Federation to suspend the President of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, the head coach of the Russian national team, the world legend Irina Viner from work at international competitions as another example of discrimination against domestic sports figures and the encroachment of Western political functionaries on the independence of sports, as an element of the destruction of world sports," Zakharova said, as reported by Russian state-run news agency TASS.

insidethegames has asked the FIG for a comment.

The Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation - the national governing body recognised by the FIG - has said it is considering appealing the ban.

Uzbek-born Viner is considered one of the most successful rhythmic gymnastics coaches of all-time having trained the likes of Russian Olympic champions Evgeniya Kanaeva, Alina Kabaeva and Yulia Barsukova, although her methods have been considered controversial, with verbal abuse portrayed in the 2017 documentary Over the Limit.

Earlier this week, she was awarded the "gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation" at a ceremony held at the ROC headquarters that aimed to recognise women in sport.

Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials remain banned from FIG competitions because of the war in Ukraine, and Viner's ban would only start once they return, provided this happens within five years.

Ashram won in the individual all-around, despite dropping the ribbon in her last discipline, leading to several countries filing protests during the competition.

Viner described the judging as "egregiously unjust" and "simply a disgrace to rhythmic gymnastics" when speaking to Russia state-funded broadcaster RT channel after the competition.

The FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee headed by Kuzmina did not find any evidence of bias and violations in the work of referees.

In September 2021, Viner told the Russian media that the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation had removed Kuzmina from the elections and would prepare a "normal" candidate.

Viner was married to Uzbek-born Russian oligarch and self-suspended International Fencing Federation President Alisher Usmanov for 30 years before their divorce in May last year.