Rhythmic news from the Daily Telegraph...
London 2012 Olympics: rhythmic gymnasts hire Michael Beloff QC to fight their case for Team GB qualification.
Great Britain's rhythmic gymnasts might feel like the minnows of the gymnastics scene, but they have hired one of the legal heavyweights to defend their right to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
High profile barrister Michael Beloff QC has been briefed by the rhythmic
gymnasts to argue their appeal to the Sport Resolutions Panel, an
independent body which will adjudicate the dispute on Wednesday.
The rhythmic gymnasts are hoping to have a decision on the day, or soon after, and, if successful, will have their names submitted to the British Olympic Association for immediate ratification in Team GB.
The hiring of Beloff, who is intensely familiar with the Games through his work with the Court of Arbitration for Sport's ad hoc panel at recent Olympic Games, his work on the London Olympic bid and his prosecution of the Greek running star Kostas Kenteris, signifies the seriousness with which the rhythmic gymnasts view their case.
They were omitted from Olympic selection after failing to make a self-imposed target during the first two days of the Olympic test event in January.
The women claim, however, that the qualifying requirements were unclear and they had indeed satisfied the requirements by achieving the target on the third day of the test event.
Immediately after the qualifying event, captain Rachel Smith said: "This isn't the end, this isn't the last you are going to see of this group."
The rhythmic gymnasts are hoping to have a decision on the day, or soon after, and, if successful, will have their names submitted to the British Olympic Association for immediate ratification in Team GB.
The hiring of Beloff, who is intensely familiar with the Games through his work with the Court of Arbitration for Sport's ad hoc panel at recent Olympic Games, his work on the London Olympic bid and his prosecution of the Greek running star Kostas Kenteris, signifies the seriousness with which the rhythmic gymnasts view their case.
They were omitted from Olympic selection after failing to make a self-imposed target during the first two days of the Olympic test event in January.
The women claim, however, that the qualifying requirements were unclear and they had indeed satisfied the requirements by achieving the target on the third day of the test event.
Immediately after the qualifying event, captain Rachel Smith said: "This isn't the end, this isn't the last you are going to see of this group."
Smith claims the team believed the score only had to be performed over any of the three days of the Olympic test event.
"We went into the competition thinking we could get it on any of the three days," Smith said.
Since the disappointment of not making the Olympic team, the women have continued to train pending their appeal.
But the dispute has caused deep divisions within the gymnastics community. The rhythmic team was unfunded by the national body and had to rely on support from family and friends.
Supporters of the rhythmic gymnasts have queried why British Gymnastics has taken such a hard line stance and refused to submit the team's names - given that there is an automatic host nation place available to them.
Link to the full story here...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/gymnastics/9104247/London-2012-Olympics-rhythmic-gymnasts-hire-Michael-Beloff-QC-to-fight-their-case-for-Team-GB-qualification.html
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