Category: ethics

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.

improving ETHICS / SAFETY

Interesting observation from a top sports journalist.

The top 3 teams at Worlds have all been having a reckoning of how to improve ETHICS / SAFETY — especially because female gymnasts are so young, and the training so intense.

Gymnastics is absolutely the best sport for kids IMHO. But there have been terrible abuses, especially at the highest levels of WAG.

STOP WAR

Illia KOVTUN from Ukraine is wearing a STOP WAR t-shirt at Podium Training. OK, I think.  And of course I agree with him.

Putin’s invasion of a neighbouring nation took out both Olympic Champion teams from our sport.  And killed many innocent people.

STOP WAR.

Of course training for this competition has been super challenging for Ukraine. Their athletes have been all over the world trying to get ready.

Germany rocking unitards

Thanks AGAIN to the women of Team Germany for choosing to wear unitards.

No competitor should feel forced to wear a leotard in competition.

Trinidad pays Thema Williams

I happened to be there when news broke that Canadian-born gymnast Marisa Dick would replace Thema. It was at the Olympic Test Meet in Rio.

We were surprised as Thema had looked healthy during Podium Training — in a striking gold leotard. No observable problems.

But her coach at the Games was John Geddert. He told the Federation Thema wasn’t ready enough. Trinidad had to fly the replacement in from Canada. Last minute.

FORMER national gymnast Thema Williams’s four-year battle for compensation, for the “biased and flawed” decision of the TT Gymnastics Federation to pull her out of the 2016 Olympic Games, came to an end at 2.20 pm on Thursday.

That was when the federation’s bankers, Republic Bank Ltd, delivered a cheque for $223,800.19 …

On November 26, 2018, Seepersad ruled Williams was entitled to $200,000 for loss of endorsements and other opportunities because of the federation’s “biased” and flawed decision to withdraw her from representing this country in the 2016 Rio Olympics. …

Gymnastics Federation pays Thema Williams damages

Federations must have clear selection policies. And enforce them.

The ONLY good news from this disaster was that Marisa had a good competition. And did qualify Trinidad to the Olympics.

British Gymnastics Reform ’25

CEO announces the launch.

British Gymnastics ETHICS

Here’s how British Gymnastics plans to improve the culture of the sport.

All should have equal opportunity.

AND end up with the greatest amount of GOOD for the greatest number of people.