Swiss IOC official reprimanded in ethics case (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—Rene Fasel, the senior Olympic central whoheads the International Ice Hockey Federation, was reprimanded by the IOC onWednesday for ethics violations which “tarnish the reputation” of the Olympicmovement.

Fasel, the member of the International Olympic Committee executive board, wascensured for breaking conflict-of-interest manners though escaped without anysuspension.

The Swiss central was treated with colour less cruelly than some lower-ranking IOCmembers who have been barred from portion upon IOC commissions as good asreprimanded in alternative ethics cases.

The case is still the critical embarrassment for Fasel, who sits upon the IOC’shighest body, leads the vital general federation as well as headed the IOC’scoordination elect for the Vancouver Games.

Following an review by the IOC ethics commission, the house saidFasel breached manners by assisting the crony secure “substantial financialadvantages” in tie with the radio as well as selling rights deal.

The house pronounced Fasel’s control was “likely to tarnish the repute of theOlympic movement.”

Fasel has been president of the IIHF since 1994 as well as an IOC member since1995.

The review followed allegations in the Swiss newspaper final year thatFasel profited from deals struck by the hockey body’s selling partner, InfrontSport Media, as well as Proc AG, the company run by the childhood friend.

Fasel denied reception money, though acknowledged which he showed bad judgmentin assisting his friend’s business.

The IOC pronounced it limited Fasel to the open reprimand out of “the principleof proportionality as well as taking into care the apologies.”

Under the IOC ethics code, members “must not act in ! the deme anour expected totarnish the repute of the Olympic Movement or place themselves in anyconflict of seductiveness situation.”

“The notice of control by the open as well as inside of the Olympic Movementmay alone constitute tarnishing of the reputation,” the IOC said.

The IOC pronounced the repairs to the IOC’s picture was greater because of Fasel’shigh-profile purposes in the Olympic world.

Fasel was cleared of indiscretion by the IIHF’s statute council in Septemberafter it received the report from the audit organisation Deloitte.

The case was referred to the IOC ethics commission, which listened evidencefrom Fasel.

The IOC remarkable which the IIHF’s inquisitive row had experienced the“greatest difficulty” in obtaining the required information as well as papers forthe probe.

The IOC pronounced Fasel maintained he had no consulting agreement with Infrontbut helped the crony get entrance to the sports marketplace in Asia.

“Today, we realize which this expected was the case of bad judgment. For this Iapologize,” he was quoted as saying.

The IOC tightened the ethics manners after the Salt Lake City bidding scandal,which led to the exclusion or abdication of 10 members in 1999 as well as 2000 foraccepting cash, scholarships, healing treatment, lavish gifts as well as alternative improperinducements.

In several ethics cases in recent years, IOC members have not usually beenreprimanded though also barred from portion upon any IOC commissions for five years.They embody South Korea’s Lee Kun-hee as well as Park Yong-sung as well as Guy Drut as well as thelate Henri Serandour of France.

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China stripped of Sydney gymnastics bronze (Reuters)

* China nude of acrobatic exercises team bronze from Sydney Games

* Athlete falsified her age

* U.S. to be awarded China’s bronze award (adds U.S. reaction)

By Karolos Grohmann

DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) - China have been nude oftheir women’s acrobatic exercises team bronze award from a Sydney 2000Olympics after a single of a athletes falsified her age, theInternational Olympic Committee pronounced upon Wednesday.

An International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) examine had foundin February which Dong Fangxiao was younger than a minimum agerequirement of 16 after induction opposite ages during Sydney andthe Beijing Games 8 years later.

“The award as well as diplomas of Dong Fangxiao are withdrawn andreallocated accordingly,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams toldreporters after an IOC Executive Board meeting.

The United States, fourth-place finishers in Sydney, are nowupgraded to third place as well as will be awarded a bronze medal.

“USA Gymnastics is beholden which a FIG as well as IOC took thetime to thoroughly examination as well as address this emanate which was firstraised during a Beijing Olympics,” pronounced Steve Penny, president ofUSA Gymnastics.

“Every contestant dreams about winning an Olympic medal. In2000, a athletes as well as coaches worked tirelessly leading up tothe Olympics as well as this recognition will positively have greatmeaning.”

Dong additionally accomplished sixth in a individual building exercisesand seventh in a individual vault.

The IOC ordered a Chinese Olympic Committee to return themedal as well as her diplomas so they can be re-awarded as well as told thecommittee it contingency ensure rules regarding age-limits are strictlykept.

Suspicions of age faking have dogged Chinese sport foryears.

Duri ng a 2008 Beijing Olympics, a FIG was ordered by theIOC to investigate a age of China’s He Kexin, women’s team anduneven bars bullion medallist as well as multiform team mates, who were alldeclared eligible.

As a outcome of which controversy, however, a FIG introduceda system where all gymnasts taking part in any vital event mustapply for a licence.

Dong registered a Jan. 20, 1983 birth date in Sydney, butwhen accredited to act as an official in a safe during a 2008Beijing Games, she spoken her birth date as Jan. 23, 1986.

That would have done her 14 as well as incompetent to contest inSydney.

Dong will additionally have her formula during a 1999 artisticgymnastics universe championships in Tianjin cancelled, along withthose performed during a FIG World Cup Series from 1999 to 2000 andat a 2000 artistic acrobatic exercises universe cup final in Glasgow.

(Additional stating by Pritha Sarkar; Editing by EdOsmond, To question or criticism upon this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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IOC strips 2000 Games bronze medal from China (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—China was nude of a bronze award from the2000 Sydney Olympics upon Wednesday for fielding an underage gymnast. The medalwas since to a United States instead.

The International Olympic Committee acted after investigations by thesport’s ruling body dynamic which Dong Fangxiao was usually fourteen during a 2000Games. Gymnasts contingency spin sixteen during a Olympic year to be eligible.

“I’m unequivocally usually proud to know which probity prevailed,” pronounced DominiqueDawes, a member of a U.S. squad in 2000. “My teammates have been verywell-deserving of a bronze medal, as well as I’m certain each as well as each a singular of us willbe thrilled. We will delight it.”

Dong’s results from Sydney were nullified in Feb by a InternationalGymnastics Federation. Because her scores contributed to China winning a teambronze, a FIG recommended which a IOC take a award back.

As expected, a IOC executive board inspected a request as well as formallystripped a award upon a first day of a two-day assembly in Dubai.

The U.S. women, who had been fourth, pierce up to a bronze.

The IOC pronounced Dong additionally was nude of her sixth-place result in theindividual floor exercises as well as seventh place in a vault.

Calls to a Chinese Gymnastics Association as well as a media officers for theChinese gymnastics group went unanswered Wednesday. Dong right away lives in New Zealandwith her husband.

The IOC ordered China’s inhabitant Olympic committee to return a group medals“as soon as possible” so they can be reallocated to a U.S. team.

It additionally told a Chinese to “ensure, by all means, which a athletes andofficials of a commission imitate with all rules as well as regulations (of t! heintern ational federation) quite with regard to age limits.”

“I never imagined in all my years of gymnastics which a decade following oneof my Olympic Games I’d actually get a award possibly shipped to me in themail,” pronounced Dawes, who will right away have a singular gold as well as three bronzes from a 1992,1996 as well as 2000 games.

The bronze award salvages what had been a disappointing Olympics for theU.S. women. The squad—Dawes, Amy Chow, Jamie Dantzscher, Kristin Maloney,Elise Ray as well as Tasha Schwikert—left Sydney empty-handed, a usually time since1976 a American women had failed to win a singular Olympic medal. The U.S.boycotted a 1980 Moscow Games.

“Sydney was a pleasing Olympics, they did a great job. But it was hardwhen people would ask, `What award did we guys get?”’ Schwikert said. “It’sgoing to be good to say, `We did get a medal. We got a bronze in Sydney.”’

Questions about Dong’s eligibility arose during a FIG’s investigation intothe ages of a Chinese group which won a gold award during a 2008 Beijing Games.Media reports as well as Internet annals referred to a little of a girls could have beenas immature as 14.

The FIG privileged a Beijing Games gymnasts in Oct 2008 after Chineseofficials supposing strange passports, ID cards as well as family registers showing allof a gymnasts were old enough to compete. But a FIG pronounced it wasn’t satisfiedwith “the explanations as well as justification supposing to date” for Dong as well as a secondgymnast, Yang Yun.

Dong’s accreditation information for a Beijing Olympics, where she workedas a inhabitant technical official, listed her birthday as Jan. 23, 1986. Thatwould have done her fourteen in Sydney—too immature to compete. Her birth date in theFIG database is listed as Jan. 20, 1983.

Dong’s blog additionally pronounced she was born in a Year of a Ox in a Chinesezodiac, which d! ates fro m Feb. 20, 1985, to Feb. 8, 1986.

FIG investigators didn’t find enough justification to infer Yang, who alsowon a bronze award upon uneven bars in 2000, was underage. She received a warningfrom a FIG.

“We have been extremely grateful which a IOC as well as a FIG have taken such athorough demeanour during a issues which were lifted in Beijing,” pronounced Steve Penny,president of USA Gymnastics. “It serves a most appropriate interests of sports to makesure there’s always a satisfactory field of play.”

AP National Writer Nancy Armour in Chicago contributed to this report.

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