FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE
Letter from the President
Nr 54
By Prof. Bruno Grandi, FIG President October 2011
Justice is Done!
The Court of Arbitration for Sport recently ruled on an appeal to the sanction imposed on Ukrainian
gymnast Anastasia Melnychenko, who tested positive for Furosemide at the Acrobatic Gymnastics
European Championships in 2010. The FIG had suspended the gymnast for a period of two
months, a decision which the World Anti-doping Agency appealed, asking for a full two year
sanction. CAS upheld the FIG decision, issuing a four-month sanction. Melnychenko will be
allowed to participate in the upcoming European Championships in Varna (BUL), October 15 30
of this year.
At the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Montpellier (FRA), FIG authorities decided to
suspend the collecting of urine samples, which were conducted until 3 o'clock in the morning on
one night and after midnight on the other. The FIG has established an anti-doping policy that is first
educational, but which stands unwavering with regard to rule enforcement (WADA Code and
WADA/FIG Rules). It seeks to protect individuals practising the sport and advocates the concept of
fair-play. Drug testing in Montpellier revealed that these three objectives were not met.
The question begs whether the codes and rules in force err on the side of draconian. I am proud of
our decisions, and firmly believe that they are indicative of pure common sense.
In the first case, an indiscretion was pardoned. Who among us has not committed one? A sanction
does not ruin an athlete, but rather gets his foot back on solid ground.
In the second, we put the athletes' best interest ahead of the rules. Gymnasts who are retained for
drug testing should not be treated as potential cheaters. Let us rather consider the glass as half
full, and treat our athletes with the utmost respect; let us apply the rules stringently, but also
intelligently.
I am proud of the judicial bodies of sport who considered an athlete and her future as more
important than anything else, just as I support the decision made by the President of our Medical
Commission to put an end to a living nightmare.
I want to take this opportunity to reiterate my commitment to flushing out cheaters and opportunists
whose vision is a near-sighted one. The gymnasts themselves are my highest priority; without
them sport would simply vanish.
With my compliments.
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FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE