Category: ethics

Switzerland calls for ban of Russia & Belarus officials

“Athletes from Russia and Belarus together with their support staff have already been punished and excluded from all international competitions.

However, the consequences must be borne by everyone in the sport system – including the officials. Therefore, we call upon the FIG and European Gymnastics to immediately and until further notice exclude all Russian and Belarusian officials and to relieve them of their functions.”

Switzerland LetterDownload

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Doha results – day 1

This will be the last FIG Artistic competition where gymnasts from Russia and Belarus would be allowed to compete. FIG has banned the nation in protest of the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Though I feel rotten for the athletes, I would have voted the same way. World peace is more important than sport.

Vault
Oksana Chusovitina UZB 13.433
Csenge Bacskay HUN 13.150
Viktoria Listunova 13.133

https://twitter.com/intlgymnast/status/1499042073802067979

Bars
Viktoria Listunova 14.566
Maria Minaeva 13.366
Daniela Batrona UKR 12.466

Floor
Artem Dolgopyat ISR 14.733 (reigning Olympic champ)
Illia Kovtun UKR 14.333
Aurel Benovic CRO 14.166

Pommels
Nariman Kurbanov KAZ 15.200
Rhys McClenaghan IRL 14.933
Harutyun Merdinyan ARM 14.600

Rings
Vahagn Davtyan ARM 14.700
Artur Avetisyan ARM 14.500
Nikita Simonov AZE 14.333

FIG bans Russia & Belarus

… further emergency measures against Russia and Belarus, following those announced on 26 February.

The EC took into account the latest recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the stance of the FIG Athletes’ Commission and the deep concerns and positions expressed by many national Gymnastics federations, and decided that:

Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials, including judges, are not allowed to take part in FIG competitions or FIG-sanctioned competitions from 7 March 2022 until further notice.

FIG adopts further measures against Russia and Belarus

World Cup Doha will be the last meet.

Of course most of the worldly Russian coaches and competitors are not supporting their government. But all non-military pressure must be put on Putin.

stunning reversal – Russian, Belarusian athletes out of Olympics

Faced with threats of withdrawals and growing animosity in the Athletes Village, organizers of the Winter Paralympics on Thursday reversed course and expelled athletes from Russia and Belarus.

The about-face came less than 24 hours after the International Paralympic Committee announced it would allow Russians and Belarusians to compete when the Games open on Friday, but only as neutral athletes with colours, flags and other national symbols removed because of the invasion of Ukraine. …

CBC

Russia will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

While I feel awful for innocent athletes who qualified all the way up until Opening Ceremonies now being dropped, I probably would have voted the same way.

Military response risks nuclear war. Therefore those who do not support Russia invading other nations must protest in every other non-violent way. Putin loves sport and will certainly take this ban seriously.

Irina Viner-Usmanova Gymnastics Palace

Irina Viner-Usmanova is the Uzbek-born Head Coach of the Russian Rhythmic national team. AND president of the Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation.

The Gymnastics Palace opened 2019 is named for her. The roof imitates a gymnastics ribbon. 

By A.Savin (WikiCommons)

You might have seen her name in the news. Husband Alisher Usmanov was once Russia’s richest oligarch. The European Union recently blacklisted Usmanov, imposing an EU-wide travel ban and freezing all his assets. Usmanov’s $600m superyacht was seized by the German government.

IOC takes further action on Russia

The Olympic Movement is united in its mission to contribute to peace through sport …

At the same time, the Olympic Movement is united in its sense of fairness not to punish athletes for the decisions of their government …

The current war in Ukraine, however, puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma. While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country. …

… with a heavy heart, issued the following resolution:

… recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions. …

… decision to withdraw the Olympic Order from all persons who currently have an important function in the government of the Russian Federation or other government-related high-ranking position, including the following:

  1. Mr Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation (Gold, 2001)
  2. Mr Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation (Gold, 2014)
  3. Mr Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office (Gold, 2014)

… The IOC admires and supports in particular the calls for peace by Russian athletes.

IOC EB recommends no participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials

Brandon Rhode – Gay at West Point

#progress

… Not too long ago I could not be openly gay in the military without facing consequences.

You could call that societal progress, but I would call it ridding the world of ignorance. …

Gay, Black gymnast finds he can be himself at West Point

update on Russian & Ukrainian gymnasts

Luba is our best source for what’s happening with some of the best gymnasts in the world.

Read her February 20, 2022 update.

WAR IN UKRAINE AND ITS EFFECTS ON GYMNASTICS