Ohio captains: Jake Martin, Sean Melton, Andrew Rickly

In previous years, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Martin did not want to be captain. He didn’t need an additional differentiation. As a tall, black man, Martin is already unique on the Ohio State team [the team’s average height is 5-7; 5-10 is tall for a gymnast], and since his sophomore year, he’s been out as gay on the team.

Martin is believed to be the only publicly out college gymnast currently competing …

Martin was part of Ohio State head coach Rustam Sharipov’s first recruiting class, and Martin credits Sharipov with embracing diversity.

“The atmosphere of the gym has changed dramatically …

Out Sports

Jake Martin and Sean Melton
Jake Martin and Sean Melton

Don Peters’ financial ties to SCATS

Former U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach Don Peters was banned from the sport for life amid allegations of sexual abuse in November 2011.

Under the terms of the ban by USA Gymnastics that rocked the gymnastics world and the Olympic movement, SCATS and all other USA Gymnastics member clubs are prohibited from being involved with Peters.

Yet despite the ban, Peters has continued to oversee SCATS investments, has been listed as SCATS president and a “key employee” on financial documents, has made appearances at the SCATS facility and has charged meals on SCATS credit cards, an Orange County Register investigation has found.

Peters, 67, also is listed as the “sole shareholder” of a second Orange County gym, the for-profit Olympica Gymnastics Academy (OGA) in Laguna Hills …

USA Gymnastics, the sport’s national governing body, began looking into Peters’ involvement with the two Orange County gyms after being contacted by the Register for comment last week.

“USA Gymnastics has banned Don Peters permanently from membership,” USA Gymnastics spokesperson Leslie King said in an email to the Register. “Its Member Club requirements mandate that a club cannot hire or be associated in any way with any person who is permanently ineligible for membership in the organization. USA Gymnastics is reviewing the matter.”

Banned coach Don Peters kept ties to 2 Orange County gymnastics schools, financial records show

Twister’s Florida: “your child’s safety is our top priority”

Click through to see the club’s policies on their Child Safety page.

Is your club as laser focused and transparent?

(via Jessica O’Beirne)

Balance Beam Situation poll

… 14 routines that received a 10.0 during the 2016 season. …

Watch the videos then vote for the best of the best.

Click PLAY or watch Nush’s perfect 10 on YouTube.

I’m not saying you should VOTE for this routine. But … 🙂

whistleblowers – Yuliya and Vitaliy Stepanova

The acting head of the Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA — Anna Antseliovich — was reported to have admitted to ‘institutional conspiracy’ of doping Olympic athletes.

RUSADA later said the NY Times reporter misrepresented her words.

Yuliya Igorevna Stepanova, née Rusanova (Russian: Юлия Игоревна Степанова (Русанова); born 3 July 1986) is a Russian runner who specializes in the 800 metres track event. She and her husband accused the Russia sports system of widespread doping fraud. …

On 26 February 2013, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced that Rusanova had been banned for two years following abnormalities in her biological passport. All of her results from 3 March 2011 were forfeited. …

Stepanova and her husband Vitaliy Stepanov, a former employee of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, wrote letters to the World Anti-Doping Agency describing doping in Russia but received little response. Deciding she needed more evidence, she began secretly recording conversations with coaches, athletes, and a doctor. …

As of 2016, they live in the United States. She is training to compete at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. …

yulia
Yuliya and Vitaliy Stepanova

The family is in hiding, in fear of retaliation.

“The so-called doping scandal will encourage us to create in Russia the most advanced system of the fight against this evil,” Putin said during his annual state-of-the-nation address to the Federal Assembly.

related – BBC 100 Women 2016: Russian doping whistleblower gives rare interview

Beth Tweddle choreographs Lauren’s routine

Terminally ill Prestatyn mum watches as Beth Tweddle helps make daughter’s dream come true
beth-tweddle

via Gymternet Clan

Russia finally admits to doping

Russia is for the first time conceding that its officials carried out one of the biggest conspiracies in sports history: a far-reaching doping operation …

Over several days of interviews here with The New York Times, Russian officials said they no longer disputed a damning set of facts that detailed a doping program with few, if any, historical precedents.

“It was an institutional conspiracy,” Anna Antseliovich, the acting director general of Russia’s national antidoping agency, said …

Russians No Longer Dispute Olympic Doping Operation

They still claim Putin did not know.

Russia was stripped of speedskating and biathlon events it was due to host this winter. Russia had previously been denied hosting world bobsled and skeleton championships.

British gymnasts deliver Christmas presents

Max – alongside fellow elite gymnasts Brinn Bevan, Jay Thompson and Reiss Beckford – joined Tory MP Stephen Metcalfe to meet youngsters at Basildon Hospital’s children’s wards.

Gymnastics coach Scott Hann and Roy Short, chairman of the South Essex Gymnastics Club, also took part …

Double Olympic champ Max Whitlock helps fellow gymnasts deliver Christmas presents to children at Basildon Hospital

md-hospital-christmas016