NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The recent 2013 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, which ended in Kyiv on September 1, were nearly derailed by an unexpected bar on 56 judges, most of them Russian, mere weeks before this top international event in the sport. President of Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) Bruno Grandi of Italy, well-known for his unconcealed resentment of Russia's dominance in rhythmic gymnastics, is widely seen as the key figure behind the move, RUSSIA! magazine reports.
Bruno Grandi, a former top gymnast and FIG President, accused the judges of irregularities and violations, appealed FIG panel's decision finding no "proof of active corruption," and made sure the ban remained in place, the Associated Press reported on July 10, 2013. "This is not the first time attempts are being made by people in expensive suits to decide the outcome of competitions behind the scenes, away from competition podiums, courts and fields. The removal of all Russian judges from officiating the 2013 Championship is particularly glaring because Russia has fielded the strongest rhythmic gymnasts at top competitions for many decades", says RUSSIA! sports editor Mathew White.
Russian gymnasts still won the most medals at the Championship, re-confirming their supremacy in the sport, but many athletes and observers are concerned that Grandi may take his fight one step further and lobby removal of gymnastics from the Olympics, possibly because Russian athletes consistently outperform their counterparts from other nations.
"I was disgusted and shocked by how Ganna Rizatdinova was allowed to win the gold medal for hoops," Russian 2012 Olympic all-around team champion Uliana Donskova told the Interfax newswire. "Russian gymnasts Yana Kudriavtseva and Margarita Mamun demonstrated a much more sophisticated program at the World Championship. I am convinced that politics had a lot to do with it. Ukraine is hosting this year's championship, and I believe that was the only reason why the Ukrainian athlete was given the top score. Many people around the world are upset about Russia's dominance in this sport, and the World Championship in Kyiv is an excellent opportunity to try to dislodge Russia from the top tier [in rhythmic gymnastics]."
In the meantime, Bruno Grandi continues to put pressure on Russian judges and make disparaging comments about the FIG disciplinary panel, which found no conclusive evidence of corruption.
And yet, the expectation is that, as Olympic Games become even more significant for national prestige, the oversight over Olympic functionaries will become just as stringent as monitoring athletes' compliance with regulations and fairness principles.
RUSSIA!, an independent English-language print and online magazine, is devoted to the most original coverage of people, trends, ideas and events taking place in or around Russia.
RUSSIA! magazine www.readrussia.com 917-475-6452 Mathew White
