Kara Eaker retires from UTAH

No response yet from the University, as I post.

I take that as a bad sign for the Head Coach, Tom Farden, who’s already been investigated and not found guilty on complaints similar to what Kara has experienced.

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Pride Tape

The NHL (National Hockey League) was infamously homophobic and non-diverse.

I know. I’m a Canadian.

That league has improved tremendously in recent years, however. Protecting minority players and taking actions so that all in the sport can be treated equally.

But now …

Rainbow-colored Pride Tape has been part of pro ice hockey for seven years, symbolizing the sport’s pledge to be welcoming and inclusive. But the NHL has banned the athletic tape, quickly sparking a backlash.

Critics say the league’s decision is a step backward.  …

The tape got a big boost in early 2016, when the Edmonton Oilers used it as a way to support young LGBTQ+ athletes who might otherwise quit playing ice hockey in the face of homophobia and discrimination. …

The NHL bans Pride Tape, setting off a backlash from players and fans
Marian Studenic of the New Jersey Devils

One bit of good news where I live …

JUDGING the FIG judges

The BIGGEST problem with Artistic Gymnastics judging is the Execution Score range between best and worst.

That range is too small — therefore it’s mostly Difficulty Score that decides ranking.

This article doesn’t address the BIG issue, but it is interesting to see how FIG is evaluating their judges.

Dr Hugues Mercier speaks exclusively to Olympics.com about his 10-year project that evaluates judges’ performance in disciplines such as artistic and rhythmic gymnastics. …

“Judging a routine in pommel horse is intrinsically much more difficult than judging a routine in vault, and it’s very important for the tools we provide to be fair. So, I always tell the judges that the mathematical tools that we use take into account that judging in pommel horse is difficult.

Olympics.com

WHY China had 6 gymnasts at Worlds

Every other team had no more than five.

SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube channel to support men’s Gymnastics.

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FIG “Safe Sport Journey” – Antwerp

More than 150 participants attended the first day of the second symposium of “Our Safe Sport Journey” onsite in Antwerp (BEL) and around 130 joined the event online. They benefited from the knowledge and experience of various inspiring speakers, including safeguarding experts, coaches and gymnasts. …

Carrying on the legacy of last year’s first edition in Liverpool (GBR), the different speakers emphasized the importance of establishing a safe environment for athletes and coaches. Donatella Sacchi, President of the FIG Safeguarding Commission, presented the new Safeguarding Certificate for coaches, which was implemented recently. This mandatory course will help improve the education of coaches and their level of knowledge about safeguarding matters. …

Enlightening second symposium of Our Safe Sport Journey ends on encouraging note

The Safeguarding Certificate is only available for coaches in the FIG database.

Recordings of the first day (3 October), co-organised by the FIG and the Royal Belgian Gymnastics Federation, is now available on the FIG Education YouTube Channel, via this link.

Safeguarding athletes in Italy

This video is in Italian. But you can click the CC button to get it translated to other languages.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Zhang Boheng supports his club

Girls Talk About Growing Up & Sports

We asked girls and all-star athletes like Jordan Chiles, Rayssa Leal, and Bebe Vio how they tackled obstacles that made them want to quit sport. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

IOC bans Russian Olympic Committee

As much as I miss the Russian athletes, I would vote to ban them from competing in Paris under any banner.

This small step is a small step in the right direction. The IOC had the guts to make this move. I commend them.

coach fired for calling gymnasts ‘beautiful’

Lindsay Nylund was fired from his role as a high-performance coach … in Sydney (Australia), in May, after he sent an email to parents with a picture of his winning team, describing them as “beautiful”.

“Hi all … Our beautiful FDLC Level 8 Women’s Artistic Gymnasts,” he wrote in the email in February, following a competition win.

… “Parents were outraged [over his termination], the coaching staff were outraged, everyone was outraged … Most people are flabbergasted, they can’t believe it. They think this is ridiculous.” …

Determined to get his job back, Mr Nylund has taken the case to the Industrial Relations Commission. …

According to The Australian, the council listed three other allegations in their termination notice, including that Mr Nylund “showed a lack of respect to management” by allowing a one-week membership fee freeze when it should have been two weeks.

He also allegedly transported athletes without parent consent and attended a social event at a local club, which the council claimed breached Child Safe Practice guidelines. …

A four-day hearing at the NSW IRC has been set for mid-November.

News.com.au