12. Dezember 2013  
Lausanne, Switzerland  
Rhythmic Gymnastics

FIG Appeal Tribunal rules in Rhythmic Gymnastics case

* fig-press--: The FIG Appeal Tribunal has unanimously rejected the appeals of former Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee President Maria Szyszkowska (POL), current TC President Natalya Kuzmina (RUS), five other Technical Committee members and 16 rhythmic judges, confirming the cancellation of exam results, judges brevets and most sanctions initially imposed by the FIG Disciplinary Commission earlier this year.

The proceedings concern alleged irregularities at the Intercontinental Rhythmic Gymnastics Judges Courses held in Bucharest (ROU) November 19-24, 2012, as well as courses in Moscow (RUS) November 28 - December 2, 2012 and Alicante (ESP) December 5 - 9, 2012. Former TC President Maria Szyszkowska (POL), incumbent TC President Natalya Kuzmina (RUS) and TC members Mariya Guigova (BUL), Shihoko Sekita (JPN), Daniela Delle Chiaie (ITA), Noha Abou Shabana (EGY) and Caroline Hunt (USA), as well as 16 judges, appealed the FIG Disciplinary Commission decision of July 8, 2013. 
The FIG requested that the FIG Appeal Tribunal fully reject all appeals and confirm the decision of the FIG Disciplinary Commission.

The FIG Appeal Tribunal, composed of president Thore Brolin (SWE) and members George C. Stewart (CAN) and Jacques Rey (FRA), conducted its own investigation and enforced the July 8, 2013 decision of the FIG Disciplinary Commission to  

  • suspend the members of the former Technical Committee from parts of their official duties until December 31, 2014. They will be allowed to continue to train judges, but will not be permitted to give judging exams, award brevets, allocate judging levels, oversee judges at any competition or serve as members of a Superior Jury. 
  • cancel the results of the Intercontinental Judges Course in Bucharest and the International Judges Courses in Moscow and Alicante as well as the obtained judges' brevets.
  • remove the judge brevet category 1 and the Honorary FIG Membership of former TC President Maria Szyszkowska.

The Appeal Tribunal did decide that the exclusion of Maria Szyszkowska from participation in FIG activities and other international events, including the possibility of being accredited by any FIG member in any official position, shall end on December 31, 2019.

Concerning the costs of the procedure, the Appeal Tribunal mandated that the 5,000,- CHF paid by every appellant in order to appeal shall be kept by the FIG. In addition, TC members shall each pay 1,000,- CHF to the FIG for costs and expenses incurred.

Decisions of the FIG Appeal Tribunal may be appealed within 21 days to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne.  

+++ fig press release