Courtesy: Google
A rhythmic gymnastics judge, Evangelia Trikomiti, hailing from Cyprus, has been given a ban of four years for manipulating scores in favour of compatriot Vera Tugolukova, to help her qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024. As per the findings of Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), Trikomiti altered the points during rhythmic gymnastics competition at the European Championship, to ensure that Tugolukova got the final qualifying spot from Europe for the Olympic Games.
Notably, as per the report from BBC Sport, Vera Tugolukova, 16, who was born in Russia, started competing for Cyprus at the international competition for rhythmic gymnastics at the end of year 2022. She finished in 16th place at the Paris Olympics 2024 individual all-round event, following which the honour of carrying the Cyprus flag at the closing ceremony of the games at the Stade de France, was given to her.
Trikomiti is declared ineligible for a period of four years of all gymnastics-related activities, excluding coaching activities: FIG
Vera Tugolukova reached the Paris Olympics 2024 after the intervention of Evangelia Trikomiti at the European Championship held in Budapest last May, which had also led to 15-year-old Liliana Lewinksa of Poland not qualifying. In the official statement, FIG’s gymnastics ethics foundation wrote, “Trikomiti is declared ineligible for a period of four years of all gymnastics-related activities, excluding coaching activities, starting on the date of notification of this decision.”
The FIG held European Gymnastics responsible for the offence committed by Evangelia Trikomiti since she was found to have “unduly interfered” with judges work as the president of the superior jury. Furthermore, they have also ordered them to pay £6,670 for the reimbursement of investigative costs, apart from stating that this incident could not stop 16-year-old Tugolukova from competing in the Olympics because it was not a decision made in the “field of play”.
