Reprieve For GB Rhythmic Gymnasts
Great Britain’s rhythmic gymnastics group have won their appeal against the decision by British Gymnastics not to select a team for the London 2012 Games, after falling short of the benchmark score in qualifying at last month’s London Prepares test event. However, the team submitted the appeal due to confusion over the deadline for achieving the target – having exceeded the required score the following day.
British Gymnastics will now nominate a rhythmic group to the British Olympic Association, who are reportedly expected to accept the host nation position offered under the rules of the international gymnastics federation.
Graeme Mews from the independent arbitrator Sports Resolutions UK told the Guardian: ‘I am not persuaded that the appellants and their coaches must have known that selection would be based only on the qualification stage because only that stage would replicate the pressures of Olympic qualification competition [the Olympic qualification of other teams participating was dependent only on the first two days of competition].’
‘The GB group, however, was in a different position. They were not competing with the other teams for a place. Rather, they were competing against the benchmark.’
British Gymnastics denied misinforming the gymnasts, with chief executive officer, Jane Allen, adding: ‘British Gymnastics respects the rights of its athletes to appeal selection procedure.’
‘We were confident that we had put in place a transparent, fair and equitable selection policy and associated qualifying score to allow a rhythmic group to self-determine their nomination to the BOA and subsequent participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games.’
Allan also explained that British Gymnastics has accepted the ruling.
