The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has “speckled” the image after this fiasco triggered by the Olympic competition, on the ground. And the reaction of the head of the FIG, appearing now, not onlyFIX” the situation, but he actually made it worse!
Jordan Chiles. PHOTO: The Truth Archive
If the events in Paris confirmed that the FIG is an organization “LOCKED” in time, which was not able to keep up with the implementation of technology in arbitration, the dry statement of the head Morinari Watanabe put gas on the fire! First of all, because it came very late, about three weeks after the fact. In addition, what Watanabe wrote made no reference to the trauma experienced by Ana Maria Bărbosu (18 years old), Sabrina Voinea (17 years old) and Jordan Chiles (23 years old).
“This tragedy should never happen again. Since becoming FIG President, I have always promoted the use of technology in refereeing. Unfortunately, this tragedy happened. The implementation of technology in sports has been treated with superficiality, in the conditions where the FIG was, once, a leader in this chapter. Which is no longer the case now. And that’s because we weren’t able to give up some prejudices because of our traditions. We need a change. We need a challenge. And we need courage to move forward. The lack of courage to take this step caused the tragedy in Paris“, wrote Morinari Watanabe.
He basically referred to the fact that Sabrina Voinea’s penalty, for an alleged exit from the carpet, was made ochiometrically, after the referees’ evaluation. Normally, we should have sensors to report this in real time. Also, the FIG communiqué condemned, among the lines, the situation in which Jordan Chiles ended up. According to the TAS verdict, the bronze of the American woman was taken, because the increase of her mark was made after an appeal that would have been submitted with a delay of 4 seconds! And here is the night of the mind that there is such a subject, in the age of technology, where everything is computerized!
“The announcement is a tragedy!”
Perhaps intended to calm the waters after an international scandal, Watanabe’s statement further inflamed spirits. At least in America!
“Forgive me, but this release is not about what happened in the Olympic floor competition. He makes no reference to the situation of the sportswomen and the ordeal they endured! Try to do more than that! I am very disappointed by this statement. And if the International Federation and the International Olympic Committee are under the impression that the United States will give up the fight, to recover the bronze taken from Jordan Chiles, well, they are wrong! These athletes deserve better after all they have done for gymnastics“, said the trainer Cecile Landi.
Nancy Armour, with a permanent column in USA Today, was equally acid. The journalist categorized the FIG press release as a “word salad“. And those from Inside Gymnastics put the Japanese Morinari Watanabe on the wall: “Even though he referred to the Olympic final, saying it was a tragedy, Watanabe stopped there, without apologizing to the gymnasts involved in this story. It also did not explain, with subject and predicate, who are to blame for what happened, as many would have liked“.
But the harshest reaction came from Gina Chiles, Jordan’s mother: “The announcement itself is a tragedy! ChatGPT would have done a better job. The FIG used this devastating case to lobby for the introduction of technology in gymnastics. With all due respect Mr. Watanabe, but it would be appropriate to > better what is happening in the room“.
The USA Gymnastics Federation had the last word. This forum insisted that, despite what the head of the FIG wrote, the approach to recover Jordan Chiles’ medal will continue, with the help of the new evidence: “We are very disappointed by this official reaction and will exhaust all legal avenues, including challenging the verdict at the Swiss Federal Court, to obtain the correct score, appropriate ranking and associated medal for Jordan“.
Sabrina Voinea also goes to Switzerland
The Americans are not the only ones aiming for bronze, for now, in Ana Bărbosu’s track record. According to Adevărul, Sabrina Voinea also addressed the Swiss Federal Court!
”Through this press release, we would like to inform you that today, 26.08.2024, the Swiss Supreme Court (TSE) confirmed the receipt of the appeal filed by FRG and Sabrina Voinea against the decision issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. We thank the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee for the constant support offered in this endeavor, our lawyers Dr. Av. Mădălina Diaconu and Av. Sabin Gherdan, who represents us at the TSE, as well as the authorized partners of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, the Popescu & Asociatii law firm and Av. Bogdan Folostina“, it is stated in the press release published on the Facebook page of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation.
