FIG Bans Rhythmic Official; FILA Heads to Olympia

FIG Bans Rhythmic Official

The ranking rhythmic gymnastics official at London 2012 is banned from the sport by the International Gymnastics Federation.

According to an Associated Press report, FIG announced late Tuesday that a probe launched in January had discovered "irregularities" in the examinations of judges.

As a result, Olympics technical delegate Maria Szyszkowska of Poland loses her membership in FIG and is barred "from any form of participation in all FIG events and activities," according to the ruling.

"(The disciplinary commission) has further decided to suspend the members of the former Technical Committee from their official duties until December 31, 2014," FIG added, clarifying that the six members may continue to train judges but may not oversee examinations "at any competition," including the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships beginning Aug. 28 in Kiev, Ukraine.

The investigation also implicated 56 judges who attended coaching courses in Romania, Russia and Spain last year.

"Many judges had the same scores and same percentages," FIG said, and "arbitrary and unjustified bonus were given to participants and that examination was not done anonymously."

Wrestlers Bound for Olympia

FILA is taking its "Save Olympic Wrestling" campaign to the birthplace of the Olympic Movement.

Wrestlers from around the world will compete at the Senior International Tournament in Olympia, Greece on July 20 and July 21. Young athletes will also tour ancient Olympia and participate in an exhibition at Palaestra.

"We look forward to returning to our roots with this special event that shows the passion of the sport of wrestling," said FILA President Nenad Lalovic, who will attend the event.

"We want our wrestlers to reach back and feel what those special athletes on the fields of Olympia did those many years ago when our sport helped start the Olympic Games."

Also this week, U.S.actor Billy Baldwin, a former college wrestler and 2003 inductee into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame,launched a series of online auctions to benefit the Committee to Preserve Olympic Wrestling.

Bid items will include potential celebrity meet-and-greets, and the following experiences: Rio 2016 ticket packages, including VIP access; one-hour training session with "The Natural" Randy Couture; 3 days/2 nights at the D Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas; lunch with Mike Golic of ESPN's "The Mike & Mike Show"; as well as pre-fight experience with IMPACT star and former Olympian Kurt Angle.

The first of three auctions took place Thursday on eBay.

Wrestling, squash and baseball/softball were shortlisted by the IOC Executive Board meeting in late May on the sidelines of the SportAccord Convention in St. Petersburg. A final decision on which sport will join the 2020 Games will be taken at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires on Sept. 8.

Written by Nicole Bennett.

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