December 12, 2013 - 8:29 AM
LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The International Gymnastics Federation has dismissed appeals by its top rhythmic gymnastics officials who were found responsible for "irregularities" during coaching courses for judges.
The six members of FIG's rhythmic gymnastics technical committee, including the Russian president, Natalyia Kuzmina, and American delegate Caroline Hunt, were suspended in October. FIG says they are barred from conducting judges' examinations and overseeing judges at competitions through December 2014. Exam results of 16 judges were annulled.
The governing body says the only change to earlier disciplinary sanctions was to ease the lifetime ban given to former committee president Maria Szyszkowska of Poland. Szyszkowska, the senior rhythmic gymnastics official at the London Olympics, is now banned through December 2019.
The officials can appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013