Great Britain’s top gymnastics coach steps aside amid investigation

Associated PressAug 25, 2020, 9:57 AM EDT

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LONDON — Great Britain’s top gymnastics coach will temporarily step aside while allegations about her conduct are investigated, the country’s governing body said Tuesday.

Amanda Reddin has denied the allegations, saying her reputation within the sport “is now subject to a trial by media rather than through the proper processes.”

“The investigation will be completed by an external independent expert and any outcome actioned immediately,” British Gymnastics said in a statement. “Our processes and investigations will also be scrutinized by the independent review.”

Last month, British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen announced an independent review of claims of mistreatment in the sport in Britain. Olympians Becky and Ellie Downie say they have suffered from abusive behavior in gymnastics training for many years.

Two gymnasts made allegations of mistreatment by Reddin — the head national coach — on Monday, the BBC reported.

On Tuesday, Amy Tinkler, who won a bronze medal in the floor competition at the 2016 Olympic Games, said Reddin was one of the coaches she issued a complaint about in December last year.

Tinkler said on Twitter she was told last week her complaints had been dealt with and the matter was closed. She said receiving that information left her feeling “sick.”

“It reinforced mine and every gymnast’s fear, which is that their complaints aren’t dealt with fairly and independently,” she tweeted.

“This is why we don’t speak up. This is why we suffer in silence. We know that to speak up is a pointless, career-ending task.”

A complaint against Reddin dating back to the 1980s was not upheld by British Gymnastics,

Regarding the latest allegations, Reddin said in a statement to ITV Sport: “I completely refute these claims, it is wrong that my reputation within the sport that I love is now subject to a trial by media rather than through the proper processes.

“I would welcome the allegations be submitted to the independent review into alleged abuse in gymnastics to ensure the integrity of the process is protected for both athletes and coaches.”

British Gymnastics said “there is no place for abuse in our sport” and that “those that speak out about mistreatment in gymnastics must be heard.”

MORE: Chellsie Memmel, 12 years after her Olympics, comes back to gymnastics

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World Athletics excludes transgender women, tightens DSD athlete restrictions, extends ban on Russia, Belarus

By OlympicTalkMar 23, 2023, 7:19 PM EDT

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World Athletics is excluding male-to-female transgender athletes from top-level international track and field and increasing restrictions for athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD).

Also Thursday, World Athletics lifted its ban on Russia’s track and field federation that dated to 2015 over doping violations, but Russia and Belarus athletes and officials remain banned due to the war in Ukraine. More on that here.

Regarding transgender athletes, the World Athletics council “decided to prioritize fairness and the integrity of the female competition before inclusion,” according to a press release.

The decision was made after a two-month consultation with national federations, athletes, coaches, the IOC and representatives from transgender and human rights groups.

“Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations,” World Athletics President Seb Coe said in the release. “We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount.”

A working group, which will include a transgender athlete, will “further consider the issue of transgender inclusion” for 12 months.

There are no transgender athletes currently competing in top-level international track and field, according to World Athletics.

World Athletics also increased restrictions on DSD athletes.

Previously, DSD athletes were eligible to compete in women’s track and field events without having to suppress testosterone, except for running distances from the 400m through the mile. For 400m through the mile, athletes were eligible if their testosterone levels were capped at five nanomoles per liter. World Athletics said that no female athletes would have a level above the cap unless they had a DSD or a tumor.

Starting March 31, all women’s events will have a stricter limit of two and a half nanomoles per liter.

World Athletics said it made the decision based on “more than 10 years of research and evidence of the physical advantages that DSD athletes bring to the female category.”

All DSD athletes who have been competing outside of the 400m through the mile must suppress their testosterone levels below two and a half nanomoles per liter for six months before being eligible to compete again. This makes them ineligible to compete through the world championships in August, but they can come back and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Testosterone must be suppressed for two years for events from 400m through the mile and for DSD athletes who have not already been competing.

Notable athletes who previously said they were affected by the DSD rules include South African Caster Semenya, the Olympic 800m champion in 2012 and 2016 who moved up to the 5000m rather than suppress testosterone to remain in the 800m. Semenya, 32, was eliminated in the 5000m heats at last summer’s world championships.

Also Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, who took 2016 Olympic 800m silver behind Semenya and also moved up to longer-distance events. She won the 2021 Diamond League 5000m title and missed last year’s worlds due to a foot injury.

Christine Mboma of Namibia took silver in the Tokyo Olympic 200m after being ruled ineligible to race the 400m due to the testosterone cap. Mboma, 19, missed last year’s worlds after tearing a thigh muscle.

Niger’s Aminatou Seyni finished fourth in the 200m at last year’s worlds after dropping down from the 400m due to the rule.

Athlete Ally, a nonprofit LGBTQ athletic advocacy group, called the new policies discriminatory.

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2023 World Figure Skating Championships TV, live stream schedule

By OlympicTalkMar 23, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT

The world figure skating championships from Saitama, Japan, air live on USA Network and Peacock this week.

The U.S. has medal contenders in all four disciplines, one year after winning a medal in all four events for the first time since 1967 (note Russia’s ban, and China sent no skaters).

In the pairs’ event that starts Tuesday night (U.S. time), Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier can become the first U.S. duo to win multiple world titles, one year after becoming the first American pair to take gold since 1979.

They rank second in the world this season behind Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, last year’s silver medalists who look to earn Japan’s first pairs’ world title.

Japan has the world’s top two women’s singles skaters in reigning world champion Kaori Sakamoto and Grand Prix Final winner Mai Mihara.

Isabeau Levito, a 16-year-old American who won last year’s world junior title, ranks fourth in the field by best score this season. She can become the youngest world medalist since 2014.

Ilia Malinin, an 18-year-old American who this season became the first skater to land a quadruple Axel, is seeded second in the men’s field behind Shoma Uno, the reigning world champion from Japan.

In ice dance, Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates posted the world’s top score this season at last month’s Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs. After 12 seasons together, their goal is to win their first world title after silver in 2015, bronze in 2016 and bronze in 2022.

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2023 World Figure Skating Championships Broadcast Schedule

Day	Competition	Time (ET)	Network
Tuesday	Pairs’ Short	10 p.m.-2 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
Wednesday	Women’s Short	2:45-8 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
	Women’s Short	6-8 a.m.	USA \| LIVE STREAM \| Peacock
	Pairs’ Free	10 p.m.-2 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
Thursday	Men’s Short	2:45-8 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
	Men’s Short	6-8 a.m.	USA \| LIVE STREAM \| Peacock
	Pairs’ Free	8-10 a.m.*	USA \| STREAM LINK
	Rhythm Dance	10 p.m.-3:30 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
Friday	Women’s Free	4:15-8:30 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
	Women’s Free	6:30-8:30 a.m.	USA \| LIVE STREAM \| Peacock
	Free Dance	11:30 p.m.-3 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM
Saturday	Men’s Free	4:15-8:30 a.m.	Peacock \| LIVE STREAM \| Skate Order
	Men’s Free	6:30-8:30 a.m.	USA \| LIVE STREAM \| Peacock
	Highlights	8-10 p.m.*	NBC \| STREAM LINK

*Delayed broadcast.

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