Category: ethics

Gymnastics Worlds too Restrictive?

Working with the FIG dues paying Bermuda Federation, I can tell you it’s getting near impossible for any gymnast training there to compete at Sr. Worlds.

The career would have to go perfectly through the PAGU qualifying system.

Hardy Fink has attended more Worlds and Olympics than anyone. He feels that the restricted-access World Championship in this quadrennial and the next are a mistake. In an effort to make Worlds shorter, we’ve reduced the opportunities for elite gymnasts from developing nations. And for specialists worldwide.

In the case of Bermuda, for example, should the Federation continue with FIG? I’d still say YES for Commonwealth Games and PanAm Games, but there is an argument for withdrawing from FIG competition completely.

Read Hardy’s detailed analysis:

figs-assault-on-world-championship-participation-an-open-letter-by-hardy-finkDownload

No Canadian Inquiry into Abuse in Sport

I’m surprised.

Minister of Sport Pascale St-Onge seemed to welcome groups representing Hockey, Gymnastics and others. Yet an investigation was not approved.

24 November: Yesterday, a motion was tabled in the Canadian House of Commons to initiate a national inquiry into abuse in sport. We, representatives of Global Athlete and Gymnasts For Change Canada, were in the gallery as this motion was presented. To witness it fail was devastating.

We are deeply disappointed to see politics impacting an issue that should be entirely non-partisan. Child and athlete abuse is not political and every day that federal leaders fail to act is a day that another athlete is at risk of abuse.

We call on our Canadian political leaders to show a unified front in eradicating abuse from sport and to initiate an independent third-party judicial inquiry to deliver the safety, justice, and accountability that every Canadian athlete, child and survivor deserves.

Global Athlete

Riyadh 2034 Asian Games

Having been to Riyadh a number of times myself, I have doubts.

Women’s sports are not respected in the Kingdom in 2022 — why should we believe they will be welcomed and treated fairly in 2034?

Federations — including Gymnastics — should be up front right now on what’s required in order to participate.

On the other hand, they have the money to lose on this event. And that women’s soccer final stadium looks awesome. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Andrew Vetter on Early Specialization Sport

A former gymnast, circus performer, former Gymnastics coach, today Andrew runs a business consulting strength and conditioning for athletes (mostly gymnasts).

He has some radical ideas:

  • Zero competitions until 10+ years of age.
  •  FUNdations. Training with the goals of physical & motor development, but where Gymnastics routines are not the main goal.
  • Prioritize the “extras” (e.g. nutrition, hydration, rest, academics, and mental performance, …)
  • Have fun and enjoy the process over the progress

Read part 1 of his post on Medium:

Gymnastics: My Thoughts on an Athletic Hybrid Model to an Early Specialization Sport

GymCan Culture Report expected JAN 2023

Gymnastics Canada brought in McLaren Global Sport Solutions to review Ethics, Safety & Culture.

Richard McLaren, who led investigations into Russian doping and corruption in the International Weightlifting Federation, is well respected in the field.

I first filled out McLaren’s online survey. Better than most of those fill-in-the-blank forms.

At the end of that survey, I was asked if I would be available for an in-person online interview. Of course I was keen to do so — and that happened NOV 8th.

About 90 minutes long, I felt McLaren was very open to hearing everything I had to say regarding culture. We spent most of the time talking recommendations for the future.

For example, I was asked what 3 changes I’d make first IF I was suddenly in charge of Gymnastics Canada.

I did call McLaren out on independence and transparency. And left convinced GymCan will have no influence on their findings.

McLaren Global Sport Solutions and those within it are completely independent of Gymnastics Canada, its sponsors, and other stakeholders.

MGSS has been contracted by Gymnastics Canada to independently, and without any interference or dictates from the sport, develop a Roadmap to a Culture Review and a Safe Sport Policy Review.

Roadmap to a Culture Review & Safe Sport Policy Review terms of reference

For example, the McLaren Report of Canada Soccer published July 2022 was scathing.

I told my interviewers they should do exactly the same with Gymnastics if that’s what the investigation finds.

I’d recommend spokespeople from Gymnasts for Change Canada have interviews with McLaren. They will listen.

The documentary BROKEN – The Toxic Culture of Canadian Gymnastics was released this week.

Canadian victims can contact Gymnasts for Change:

gymnasts4change_canada@outlook.com

Was Liverpool Judging improved?

I don’t pay much attention to scores when watching routines. The current FIG system is foolish, execution scores “boxed” too narrowly between best and worst.

BUT there were fewer complaints about judging at Worlds than usual.

And my gut feeling is that fewer blatant mistakes were made. Panels more willing to award a fair score to less well known gymnasts.

No doubt number crunchers will be looking more closely over coming days.

Nordic nations support Ukraine

If Putin successfully takes over Ukraine, why would he stop there?

Recall Hitler invaded Poland first. To justify the action, Nazi propagandists accused Poland of persecuting ethnic Germans living in Poland. Does that sound familiar?

If Putin successfully takes over Ukraine, why wouldn’t the Chinese dictator-for-life take that as a green light to invade Taiwan?

There’s a very good argument for banning Russian and Bellarusian judges & officials from FIG events, as well as athletes.

It sounds like FIG need to change their rules and regulations before taking that step. Perhaps that can be done at the upcoming FIG Congress in Turkey.

It’s November 2022. On what date will IOC ban athletes from the Paris Olympics? Right now it seems unlikely Putin will stop bombing civilians any time soon.

our-hearts-go-out-to-the-ukrainian-people-signDownload

Worlds Liverpool wraps-up

Worlds Liverpool went surprisingly well.

One of the better worlds in recent memory. Not Glasgow 2015 good — but very good.

35,000 tickets sold and sell-out crowds for the final weekend.

Local fans had much to cheer about. Men & women’s teams both were top 3 — automatic qualification to the Paris Olympics. Six medals total including Gold on Floor for Giarnni Regini-Moran & Jessica Gadirova.

The FREE Championships Fan Zone was great for the kids.

406 volunteers worked 15,000 hours total.

Despite no covid precautions, I didn’t hear of even one gymnast having to withdraw due to the virus. (One medal contender from Taiwan didn’t travel to Liverpool because he had covid, however.)

Nicolas Buompane, FIG secretary general, answered the toughest question at the final Press Conference: Norway and 6 other nations opting not to attend FIG Congress 2022 in Istanbul.

Nicolas explained that FIG currently has no process for banning delegates. It would need to be added to their rules. And that their lawyers have concluded that FIG would lose any court challenge to such a ban.

Watanabe was more philosophical. An international democratic organization should listen to all view points. He respects both the Russian Federation and those who oppose those delegates attending Congress. He hopes that all member Federations will soon be back together as a family.

Personally, I’m worried about China invading Taiwan. In that case, I expect Chinese athletes to be banned from FIG events.

Safe Sport Symposium, Liverpool

More than 200 participants from over 50 different countries attended a 2-day conference jointly hosted by British Gymnastics and FIG with the support of UK Sport and the Local Organising Committee.

In his closing address, Morinari Watanabe, FIG President, presented his policy of inverting the traditional model of governance at an international sports federation and placing the athlete at the top.

Every block in the inverted pyramid, from coaches, judges, national federations and continental unions right down to the President, should work to support the athlete.” 

For example, I would have appreciated one of the USA MAG stopping to address the media in the mixed zone after Team Final. Perhaps Asher.

But respect their right not do do so. Athlete first.

Oleg Vernyayev – Stop War

 Oleg calls for the international sporting community to support Ukraine.

From Instagram:

“last saw my native Donetsk back in 2012. And soon the war will take away my opportunity to return home for almost 9 years.

With the onset of a full-scale invasion, training was put on a back burner. From the first days, I started volunteering, as did some of my colleagues, Ukrainian gymnasts. About three thousand athletes and coaches are now defending the Independence of our country. Over a hundred of them will never return home.

Silence settled in our training halls. But we must not be silent!

We should not keep silent about Russia’s crimes against Ukraine, as Russian and Belarusian athletes do.

Their silence is support for the bloody Russian terror. Terrorists have no place in international sports.

I urge all citizens of the civilized world to support Ukraine on the sports front!

Silence kills!”

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.