Oleg Verniaiev has received a provisional suspension ©Getty Images

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has revealed Olympic champion Oleg Verniaiev is provisionally suspended "until the end of the procedure that is currently in progress".

It is unknown why Ukraine's Verniaiev, the parallel bars champion at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, has been suspended. 

An FIG spokesperson told insidethegames confirmed the provisional suspension but said the governing body "does not comment on an ongoing procedure".

In an interview with Tribuna, Ukrainian men's artistic gymnastics team coach Gennady Sartinsky also claimed he was unable to discuss the suspension. 

"Now the trial is underway, I can't say more," he said. 

"When all this is clarified, then we will speak." 

When asked whether the suspension was related to a doping suspension, Sartinsky did not rule it out.

"Maybe," he said. 

"But so far they said not to tell anything. 

"This is classified information for now."

Oleg Verniaiev earned Olympic gold in the parallel bars at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
Oleg Verniaiev earned Olympic gold in the parallel bars at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Verniaiev was not included in the Ukrainian team for last month's European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Turkey, but Sartinsky claimed this was due to "micro-injuries". 

Ukraine went on to clinch gold in the team event at the Championships. 

The 27-year-old Verniaiev was a world champion in the parallel bars in 2014 before earning silver in the discipline in 2015, 2017 and 2018. 

He was bronze medallist in the all-around at the 2019 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, an event he has an Olympic silver medal in from Rio 2016.   

Verniaiev has also won six European titles during his career.