Latest news with #Tugolukova
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Judge banned for helping compatriot reach Olympics
A Cypriot rhythmic gymnastics judge has been banned for four years for manipulating scores to help her compatriot qualify for the Paris Olympics. The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) found that judge Evangelia Trikomiti altered the scores at the European Championships to ensure Vera Tugolukova clinched the final European qualifying spot for the Olympics. Russia-born Tugolukova, who began competing for Cyprus at the end of 2022, finished 16th in the individual all-around competition in Paris. "Trikomiti is declared ineligible for a period of four years of all gymnastics-related activities, excluding coaching activities, starting on the date of notification of this decision," FIG's gymnastics ethics foundation said in a statement. "European Gymnastics is held responsible for the offence committed by Trikomiti." The FIG also ordered European Gymnastics to pay 8,000 euros (£6,670) for the reimbursement of investigative costs and added that it could not stop 16-year-old Tugolukova from competing in the Olympics because it was not a 'field of play' decision. Trikomiti, president of the superior jury at the European Championships held in Budapest in May 2024, was found to have "unduly interfered" with the judges' work to help Tugolukova secure Olympic qualification ahead of Poland's Liliana Lewinska. Trikomiti had previously judged at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Her daughter, Chrystalleni, represented Cyprus at the 2012 London Olympics and won two gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. European Gymnastics said it would consult with lawyers before considering an appeal. The Cyprus Gymnastics Federation said it would "thoroughly review" the ruling. "We are committed to taking all necessary actions in accordance with the law and ensuring that the appropriate measures are implemented," it said.
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Judge banned for helping compatriot reach Olympics
A Cypriot rhythmic gymnastics judge has been banned for four years for manipulating scores to help her compatriot qualify for the Paris Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) found that judge Evangelia Trikomiti altered the scores at the European Championships to ensure Vera Tugolukova clinched the final European qualifying spot for the Tugolukova, who began competing for Cyprus at the end of 2022, finished 16th in the individual all-around competition in Paris."Trikomiti is declared ineligible for a period of four years of all gymnastics-related activities, excluding coaching activities, starting on the date of notification of this decision," FIG's gymnastics ethics foundation said in a statement."European Gymnastics is held responsible for the offence committed by Trikomiti." The FIG also ordered European Gymnastics to pay 8,000 euros (£6,670) for the reimbursement of investigative costs and added that it could not stop 16-year-old Tugolukova from competing in the Olympics because it was not a 'field of play' president of the superior jury at the European Championships held in Budapest in May 2024, was found to have "unduly interfered" with the judges' work to help Tugolukova secure Olympic qualification ahead of Poland's Liliana had previously judged at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de daughter, Chrystalleni, represented Cyprus at the 2012 London Olympics and won two gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Gymnastics said it would consult with lawyers before considering an Cyprus Gymnastics Federation said it would "thoroughly review" the ruling."We are committed to taking all necessary actions in accordance with the law and ensuring that the appropriate measures are implemented," it said.
Associated Press
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Gymnastics judge banned for manipulating scores at Paris Olympics qualifying event
GENEVA (AP) — A senior judge in gymnastics was banned for four years on Thursday for manipulating scores to help an athlete from her own country Cyprus qualify for the Paris Olympics. Evangelia Trikomiti 'unduly interfered with the judges' work' last May at the European Championships in rhythmic gymnastics that sent Vera Tugolukova to Paris, said the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation which investigated the case. Tugolukova, who switched national eligibility from Russia in 2022, placed 16th in the Olympic individual all-around event. She carried the Cyprus flag at the Paris Games closing ceremony at Stade de France. Trikomiti's intervention in scoring at the European qualifier held in Budapest in May denied an Olympic place to 15-year-old Liliana Lewińska of Poland. The Polish gymnastics federation filed allegations against Trikomiti, who was charged by the GEF in July three days before the Olympics opening ceremony. She was provisionally suspended and removed from Olympic duty. The case did not stop the 15-year-old Tugolukova from competing in Paris because investigators could not act against field-of-play decisions taken in May, the GEF said. Trikomiti faced a disciplinary case for allegedly breaking the International Gymnastics Federation's code of ethics and judges' competition oath. It requires 'complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship.' Two judges at the Olympic qualifying event testified against Trikomiti at a hearing held in December before an independent panel of three arbitrators. Trikomiti's lawyers argued witnesses 'had apparent biases and grudges that render their evidence unreliable' and that her 'only connection to Ms. Tugolukova was their shared nationality,' the published verdict stated. Trikomiti was banned from judging for four years though not from coaching. European Gymnastics, where Trikomiti is an executive committee member, was ordered to pay 8,000 euros ($8,300) toward the cost of the investigation. 'While competition manipulation should of course never happen, this decision reinforces the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation's commitment to ensuring fair and safe competition through the prosecution of any infringement to the sport's integrity and safety rules,' its director Alex McLin said in a statement. The GEF was created in 2019 and funded by the FIG to better protect athletes after the scandal of sexual abuse by a former United States team doctor.
