Category: safety

IOC doping tests are a mess

The IOC should test all athletes at the Olympic Games. Announce the results.

End of story.

This breaking news is absurd. You should not FOREVER keep going back to retest old samples. 😦

The IOC said that the 30 athletes from the Games came from four sports and eight National Olympic Committees (NOC). …

A third and fourth wave of re-tests will take place throughout and after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with the samples being re-analysed using the latest scientific methods.

The athletes, NOCs and International Federations concerned by the positive drug tests are being informed, the IOC said, with proceedings against the athletes able to commence after B-samples are tested. …

Twenty-three medallists among 45 positives announced by IOC after second wave of Beijing and London retests

Ukraine's Yulia Kalina was the first athlete to be stripped of a medal after testing positive in the first wave of re-tests ©Getty Images
Ukraine’s Yulia Kalina was the first athlete to be stripped of a medal after testing positive in the first wave of re-tests ©Getty Images

related:

• GymCastic #206: The Russian Situation

• Should the Russian gymnasts be allowed to compete in Rio? RRG’s view

• Skating Lesson – An Invitation to Cheat: Following Up With Christine Brennan

• Skating Lesson – Russia on Thin Ice: A Conversation With Christine Brennan

diving platform collapses

A diving platform collapsed when Russian athletes were performing synchronized diving during their Rio 2016 Olympic preparations in Havana, Cuba.

Sergey Nazin was executing a synchronized dive with his partner …

“The competition had to be stopped, so the doctors could check on him. But he returned to the action and won his fourth gold medal that day” …

RT Sport

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Thomas Trapp)

Chusovitina 15,600 vault

Here’s what FIG judges award a 15,600. 😦

landing

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

When are FIG WTC going to fix the vault rules?

Second vault very impressive, however. She’s in good shape for Rio.

(via Gymternet)

Alyssa Baumann withdraws from trials

Alyssa Baumann Injured, Withdraws from Olympic Trials

Terrible timing.

Alyssa is one of those inspiring future generations of gymnasts around the world.

Jazzy Foberg, Bailie Key and Norah Flately will not be competing. Gymnastics is a dangerous sport. At any one time a high percentage of gymnasts are injured. 😦

(via FloGymnastics)

“pulling in” on Flyaway

I’m at a coaching course right now. As always we spent disproportionate time on this skill

Dr. Bill Sands posted an article on the Biomechanics of Flyaway dismount on Bars. A good read for every coach.

I want to do EVERYTHING I can to prevent my gymnasts from hitting their feet on the rail. Or – worse – their head. 😦

Most dangerous, in my opinion, are tucked and double tucked flyaways. While changing position from the stretched long swing to the tucked position, there’s a chance the gymnast will “pull in” to the Bar. That is to say, redirect the path of the Centre of Mass towards the Bar.

That’s in addition to the normal problem – releasing too late.

What we WANT is a “pitch out” of the Centre of Mass. A redirection out and away just before release.

Dr. Bill Sands
Dr. Bill Sands

For me layout and double layout flyaways are safest. Then piked.

See it on The Advanced Study of Gymnastics – How Does a Flyaway Work? (link is now correct)

disaster for Dunedin Gymnastics, NZ

It’s not clear whether or not insurance will cover this kind of loss. 😦

Dunedin Gymnastics Academy will have to write off more than $100,000 worth of equipment after health and safety tests last week revealed traces of asbestos on the rafters and window sills.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – Give A Little fund-raiser

Sorry to hear the bad news, Imogen.