British WAG (and MAG!) talk

[lovegymnasts]

Becky Downie

No
How is what he referring to have to do with the need for future gymnasts standing up for change. Standing up when they know they are being placed in an unethical or abusive situation. Complacency allows things to stay the same. Real change takes banding together.

 

[Sanzhirovka]

I’m not equating them. But I am comparing them. They’re not in the same league at all. But GMF was apparently not simply “walking around the village” and if she was training, it was to gain an advantage by going against the rules.

And just like plenty of innocent Russian atheltes suffered bans, GMF probably should be sent away too. Not because state-sponsored doping is equatable to a coaching pass, but because if The Powers That Be do not see how their stupid actions impact their medals chances, they’ll never change.

And what happpens if GMF (and I like her gymnastics by the way), allowed to train with the team, is then suddenly needed for the team? When some other country’s alternate is also needed in competition, but did not have the chance to train with the team from the start? Is her team really going to care that BG had to pay a fine? What if BG barely edges them in the team final? Would they have a right to say “but wait, that’s not fair!”?

So, just as banning scores, if not hundreds of innocent Russian athletes is fair in response to state sponsored doping (big punishment for big crime) sending home one gymnast who was likely not going to compete anyways, is imo a fair response to giving her a fradulent accreditation (small punishment for small crime).

Does that make sense?

EDIT: If the paperworks shows who applied for her coach’s accreditation and that person also has an accreditation, then that person/persons should also be sent home.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

It was Becky Downie, yes. And what that has to do with what you’re talking about is that Becky did speak up about abuse, behaviour much worse than this, following which she was kept out of the Olympic team and treated disgustingly around the time of her brother’s death. Or consider Amy Tinkler, who also spoke out and was ostracised. It’s utterly naive to imagine that a couple of athletes who are primarily pretty disposable saying they’ll do something would achieve anything at all in a federation with such deep structural problems and a resistance to change.

 

[Sanzhirovka]

to be fair, i didn’t mean they’d complain about it, i meant more they be like “whoa, the last time you did this the alternate was sent home and when you had an injury and needed her, it was too late. Are you sure this is what we should be doing this time?”

Plus, I was thinking more abstractly than i was thinking about BG in particular.

 

[lovegymnasts]

It was Becky Downie, yes. And what that has to do with what you’re talking about is that Becky did speak up about abuse, behaviour much worse than this, following which she was kept out of the Olympic team and treated disgustingly around the time of her brother’s death. Or consider Amy Tinkler, who also spoke out and was ostracised. It’s utterly naive to imagine that a couple of athletes who are primarily pretty disposable saying they’ll do something would achieve anything at all in a federation with such deep structural problems and a resistance to change.

That’s what I was saying, they started it and hopefully others will continue it so there is real change. Pioneers for a movement always get hit the hardest.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

And given what has happened to Becky, I think this is completely unrealistic and shows very little understanding of the problems within the federation. There are lengthier discussions about this upthread if you can face the full 800 posts.

 

[Bob]

I actually snorted out loud at the last two sentences. Totally with you on that one!

 

[Bob]

If the story is true then the alternates need to be sent home. Straight away. That’s a disgraceful way to flout rules.

 

[Gymfan93]

It’s definitely true that GMF was in the Olympic village and training. There are photos on all the WAG instagrams.
And Jake Jarman was filmed on FX apparently in the Olympic village.
So at the very least it’s true that they were in there.

 

[Bob]

yes I’ve just seen photos from BG with GM and the others training together released 10 hours ago so maybe from yesterday. Def together and def training together. Not good.

 

[Gymfan93]

If we’re being charitable, maybe they didn’t know this was against the rules, but that would be so blatantly stupid that whoever is responsible needs to be gone. And so does their manager for being so incompetent.

 

[Bob]

Totally agree. But if the report/ tweet is true that they registered them as personal trainers then they clearly knew and did it to deceive. Which is really bad so I hope that they didn’t.

 

[MaryClare]

Given that pictures were posted by BG social media, I thought it’s been some big hush hush plan. It may not even be against the rules.

I mean, if Valentina decided to spontaneously prance around the floor area at a practice session, is that breaking any rules?

Since there is no formal recognition of alternates, Jake and Georgia are technically just coaches

 

[Gymfan93]

Are coaches allowed to train on the equipment, though?

 

[makam]

I legit would have paid cash money to see Martha try to do anything on the UB or BB back in the day. The hilarity of the result would have filled my life with eternal joy. Seeing Valentina try is a close second.

 

[cats]

If one of the recent-ish athletes were there as a legit coach (like Mustafina or Wieber, had they taken slightly different paths) should they not be allowed to hop on the equipment and do a giant or a handspring? I just don’t think that’s a necessary restriction.

I hope the Brits did not leave an actual medical professional at home so they could smuggle in alternates…

 

[MaryClare]

I would very much doubt there’s a specific rule stating they can’t. It’s just a training session, they are allowed to be on the equipment to spot.

If it turns out they haven’t broken any rules, then good on them. Their alternates are able to access the village and all the facilities, stay with the rest of the team, plus get all the Olympic swag from GB.

Remember when Shayla used Bridget’s pass in Beijing? That was a clear, serious and intentional security breach but nothing was ever done about it.

 

[MaryClare]

They can have as many accredited coaches/medics as Team GB allows them to. Number of personnel on the floor is only restricted by FIG for the actual competition

 

[Kittentoes]

I know GMF does some zoom training, so maybe that was their justification?

 

[irichluck21]

Other teams have had athletes on the floor as “coaches” during other competitions IIRC. I think the Russians did this once or twice.