Category: ethics

U.S. gymnasts competing Olympics for other nations

You probably recall the disaster that was Nellie Kim, President of the FIG Women’s Technical Committee, pushing for American Kylie Dickson to compete for Belarus in Rio.

It was one of Nellie Kim’s many ethical disasters.

But I’d argue that — more often than not — having a gymnast from a bigger nation represent a smaller nation DOES help Gymnastics there. For example, I fully expect WAG to boom over the next couple of Olympic cycles in Philippines.

Should these athletes have qualified to Paris?

  1. Phillipines – Aleah Finnegan
  2. Phillipines – Emma Malabuyo
  3. Phillipines – Levi Jung-Ruivivar
  4. Colombia – Luisa Blanco
  5. Haiti – Lynnzee Brown
  6. Syria – Lais Naijjar (MAG)
  7. Bulgaria – Kevin Penev

Read a thoughtful article by Caroline Price in Forbes:

Americans In Paris: Nationality Changes Shaping Olympic Gymnastics

2024 Olympics Paris

Nagorny sanctioned by USA

The gymnast most active in supporting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is Nikita Nagorny.

He’s top of the list to be sanctioned.

Isabella Brett NOT approved for Olympics

As we feared …

New Zealand was not SMART enough to confirm Isabella to the Olympics after she earned the Olympic berth through Continental qualification.

Obviously to ME … the benefits of a smaller nation having one more Olympian far outweighs the downside of Isabella not finishing high in the rankings.

NCAA Gymnastics transfer portal

Personally, I feel most of the moves end up being successful for the gymnasts.

There are about 100 gymnasts in the portal now, in advance of the 2025 season.

There’s a good discussion on the topic on College Gym News:

CGN Roundtable: Transfers and Predictions

related – Selena Harris enters transfer portal, ‘dismissed’ from UCLA gymnastics

Barbies ➙ Rebeca Andrade & Alexa Moreno

Mattel is making Barbie dolls depicting U.S. tennis star Venus Williams and eight other athletes who’ve “broken boundaries” and encouraged girls to stay in sports, the company announced Wednesday. …

French boxer Estelle Mossely; soccer players Christine Sinclair, of Canada, and Mary Fowler, of Australia; gymnasts Alexa Moreno, of Mexico, and Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil; Spanish Paralympian Susana Rodriguez; Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini and; Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda.

Mattel unveils Venus Williams Barbie “Role Model” doll

Coach Thierry Pellerin sentenced to 5 years

Former (Canadian) Olympic hopeful Thierry Pellerin was sentenced to five years in prison for luring young boys who were under his responsibility to the gymnastics club where he was a coach, in addition to filming them in the locker room toilets.

Journal de Quebec

He will be in the sex offender register for the next 20 years and will not be able to be in a park, school grounds or other place where it is reasonable to expect the presence of children.

Grand Paris Express Métro

Paris already has one of the biggest and busiest subway networks in the world.

Simultaneous with Olympics 2024 construction, over 200km more are being built. 68 brand-new stations. The plan is to travel around the city, rather than crossing the congested centre.

It’s called the Grand Paris Express.

Of course there will be an economic boost everywhere easily accessible by the 4 new lines.

Hopefully, Paris will be one Olympic host where the legacy benefits outweighs the incredible cost for a … circus.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Mark Robinson v Simone Biles

North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson has been called “the GOP’s next top lunatic”.

Sure he’s homophobic, anti-semitic, an election denier, anti-science, anti-woman — BUT what made Gymnastics fans mad was when he dissed the greatest gymnast of all time.

Something tells me candidate Mark Robinson never did Gymnastics. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Aly on CBC Mornings

Promoting her new book.