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| Head coach Andrei Rodioneno responds to journalists' questions in Antwerp |
Andrei Rodionenko stated in an interview by R-Sport that he doesn’t agree with the FIG on the judging at major international competitions.
Mustafina (Russia) won gold on
beam at the World Championships held in Antwerp with a 14.9 score.
The
Russian team challenged immediately the score because they disagreed
with the D score of Mustafina’s routine, whereas the US inquiry was
taken with a positive result.
'There will be a serious
discussions with the FIG Women’s Technical Committee', stated
Rodionenko. 'They have a very conservative approach. We might have to
prepare official documents, send letters to reach an agreement. We don’t
like complaining or judging someone. Yet, I see they are loyal to the
American inquiries and they rejected ours.'
Valentina Rodionenko stated that
the Russian gymnasts’ results at Worlds could be easily accounted for.
All hopes and expectations were pinned only on Mustafina, mainly
because the team was weakened by injuries and illnesses.
'We competed with a weaker
women’s team. We only had expectations of Aliya', Rodionenko told RIA
Novosti. 'She fulfilled the expectations, taking into account that she
had a cold and she had been ill for two weeks. Mustafina competed as a
leader and proved that all the medals she wins are not mere chance. In
the difficult situation she was, she did what she had to do. Of course,
her most relevant medal is the beam medal, where she had never won. She
performed a worthy routine.'
As someone who loves gymnastics but is not trained as a judge, I would be really interested in reading more about the logistics of that process. I would imagine an inquiry is placed when there is a discrepancy in understanding of interpretation of the code of points? Does whether or not the judge accepts the inquiry not have to do with it's content? I would think if the inquiry is regarding something black and white, then it would be rejected because there is nothing to consider? But if it is about something grey, then it would accepted for consideration - which means they may or may not rule in the athlete's favor? Is that how it is supposed to work? Or does "accepting the inquiry" mean they agree with it (rather than agreeing to consider it) and change the score?
ReplyDeleteFrom the Technical Regulations to be found at http://www.fig-gymnastics.com/vsite/vnavsite/page/directory/0,10853,5187-188050-205272-nav-list,00.html
DeleteReg. 8.4 INQUIRIES OF THE SCORE
Inquiries for the Difficulty score are allowed, provided that they are made
verbally immediately after the publication of the score or at the very latest
before the score of the following gymnast or group is shown. For the last
gymnast or group of a rotation, this limit is one minute after the score is shown
on the scoreboard. The person designated to receive the verbal inquiry has to
note the time of receiving it and this starts the procedure.
Only the accredited coaches in the competition area (Artistic Gymnastics) and
next to the competition area (other disciplines) are entitled to submit an
inquiry.
An area close to the podium where the coach of the competing gymnast can
observe the exercise must be designated.
Late verbal inquiries will be rejected. A NF is not allowed to complain against
a gymnast from another federation.
Inquiries for all other scores (Execution, Artistic, Time of flight and Synchro)
are not allowed.
The inquiry must be confirmed as soon as possible in writing, but within 4
minutes at the latest after the verbal inquiry and requires an agreement of
payment of USD 300.-- for the first complaint; USD 500.-- for the second
TECHNICAL REGULATIONS 2013 – SECTION 1 – GENERAL REGULATIONS revised May 2013
- 47 -
complaint and USD 1'000.-- for the third complaint. Should the inquiry not be
confirmed in writing within 4 minutes, the procedure becomes obsolete.
Should the inquiry prove correct and is accepted, this sum will be reimbursed.
Otherwise, the sum will be transferred to the FIG Foundation.
Every inquiry must be examined by the Superior Jury and a final decision
(which may not be appealed) must be taken at the very latest:
- at the end of the rotation (or group) for the qualifying competitions, the allaround
competitions and the team competition (final)
- before the score of the following gymnast or group is shown for the finals.
The detailed procedure is in all the COP.
In the days following a competition, a global video analysis is carried out by
the respective TCs (or their representatives designated by the TCs), and in
case mistakes are established, the guilty judges will be punished accordingly.
It's so very interesting, thank you Queen Elizabeth. I think it is so shady that you have to pay! But I suppose everyone would inquire all the time if there was no disincentive.
DeleteSo connected elements - they are part of the D score, not the E score?
So basically, when Aliya added up the skills, she was coming up with a higher D score than the judges gave her. So do you think it was a connection she was questioning?
What is still unclear to me about the process is when they inquire, are they inquiring about a specific skill. I think not, because you don't see each part of the judges work, right, and how much they credit to each thing. But it's just strange to me, because the athletes did these routines over several days. So if the routine is constructed the same way each time, it should always have the same value. I guess the judges are building it from scratch each time they view it.
The only difference I noticed from her all around beam set was after the Anode she did a 2.5 turn in beam finals, but a double turn in all around. Could that have been the difference?
I just wonder about the specifics of it all - for her inquiry, as well as the others.
Sorry, Onodi, not anode, I meant to say there!
DeleteConnections are part of the D score.
DeleteI don't think anyone know exactly what the details of any of the three appeals on Sunday are.
In the picture, Mustafina is calculating Rodionova's D score, not her own.
The whole appeals process could do with some clarification, in my opinion. Also I think the FIG should publish full accounts of any appeals. Like the Law, it should be transparent.
I agree! When the people who are trying to follow - and our willing to put enough time into understanding it as we have in these discussions - still can't get to a clear answer - the sport loses credibility.
DeleteI think the gymnast who was most affected by the American's enquiry was Vanessa Ferrari. Her team mate had quite a lot to say about it. Being bumped to fourth as a result of an equiry into another gymnast's difficulty score is mean and does the sport disrepute. It makes a mockery of the judges' competence. I think the present enquiry system should be abolished and something fairer put in its place. Not sure what.
ReplyDeleteThey've got to get the inquiry system in order. I myself am not really familiar with it but I've seen this sort of thing more that once.
ReplyDeleteThey wrote three wrong d score for Biles, it's was 6.1 like her qualification and not her AA, that's why hers was accepted. Kyla was also incorrectly not given a connection but that never changed anything anyways, there's nothing shady about it. And Mustafina was counting Rodionova's d score not her own
ReplyDelete