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THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017 SPORTS GYMNASTICS Push for bill tackling sex abuse after USA Gymnastics scandal WASHINGTON: Several senators and group of senators is now calling on letics governing bodies like USA “This is a new day.” The new law aims to it’s time for that to change.” Dominique former star gymnasts pushed Tuesday Congress colleagues to pass a bill aimed Gymnastics, and adults who work with make it easier for victims who wish to Moceanu, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist for a bill that would criminalize the fail- at ending the “culture of silence” sur- young athletes, to immediately report report their attackers, in particular and reform advocate, who was not sex- ure of athletics organisations to report rounding such crimes. Several former suspected sex abuse to local or federal through a call center that would guar- ually abused herself, said the legislation suspected sex abuse, after a huge scan- gymnastic stars were invited to testify law enforcement agencies. Failure to antee them anonymity. It would also would mark “a positive turning point in dal that shook US gymnastics. before the Senate Judiciary Committee report such acts would be a federal mandate greater oversight of adults in the history of this sport.” The Indianapolis Star newspaper on Tuesday and at times struggled to crime. “The bill is very common sense. gyms, and trainers accused of sexual The weekly paper that broke the reported late last year that 368 former hold back tears. We want to make crystal clear that abuse would be kept on record to pre- scandal has since gained access to inter- gymnasts claimed to have been sexually “For a lot of us, for so long we felt we national governing bodies have a vent them being able to reoffend simply nal USA Gymnastics documents show- assaulted by coaches or other adults had no voice,” said Jeanette Antolin, a responsibility to protect young athletes,” by changing their workplace. ing that coaches found guilty of sexual involved in the sport over the previous former Team USA gymnast and victim of said Democratic Senator Dianne assault continued to work in clubs after two years. The scandal led Steve Penny, abuse, at a news conference after the Feinstein. ‘TURNING POINT’ their convictions. Democratic Senator president of USA Gymnastics, the hearing. “And to have the kind of sup- “The culture was money and medals. Antolin said former USA Gymnastics Richard Blumenthal denounced the national governing body for the sport, port that we do now and finally have a The culture wasn’t about the girl.” team doctor Larry Nassar, who is facing abuse of gymnasts who were girls at the to resign mid-March following allega- voice is so important.” The proposed This law, she said, would send a mes- dozens of allegations of sexual abuse, time. “The betrayal of trust here was tions of turning a blind eye. A bipartisan legislation would require amateur ath- sage to the 50,000 gyms across America: had “got away with what he was doing... especially outrageous,” he said. —AFP SWIMMING Afghan women swimmers defy threats for Olympic dream KABUL: There are just 30 pools in The risks include a burgeoning Taliban Afghanistan, only one which welcomes girls- insurgency that has affected much of the and it is facing militant threats for doing so. country. Since 2016, no region has been Nevertheless a handful are diving in, pio- spared Taliban attacks, while the east and neers racing to achieve Olympic glory in north-east are increasingly coming under Tokyo. fire from the Islamic State group. The story of the 25-year-old coach and But Afghanistan’s patriarchal, ultra-con- head of the newly created Women’s servative society, where many still believe Swimming Committee, Elena Saboori, epito- women should be veiled and confined to the mises the struggle to swim in a conservative, home, adds another layer of risk. landlocked, conflict-plagued country that Saboori and members of her team cannot largely opposes women taking part in sports. swim with their backs, arms or thighs A woman friend first took her swimming, but exposed. The team is in touch with a after that she taught herself by downloading Brazilian company to design appropriate instruction videos from the internet and swimwear. Until then, they wear tights and practicing in the pool in Kabul. “At first I was black, lycra, long-sleeved tops under one- really afraid of drowning, but that’s when I piece swimsuits, with a swimming cap cover- thought I’d become a coach, because girls do ing their hair. “The main obstacle for our not know how to swim here,” says Saboori, swimmers is safety, of course,” says the young an economics student. president of the Afghan Federation of Drowning may not be the biggest risk: at Swimming, Sayed Ihsan Taheri. He lauds the time of her interview with AFP, Saboori Saboori’s courage, appointing her as head of had been advised to stay away from the pool the women’s committee in February with a after violent threats were made against it for clear ambition: “We aim to be at the 2020 allowing her team to train there. “We have Olympic Games in Tokyo, with a team of at several types of threats, but I feel that it [the least two men and one woman.” That woman security situation] is a bit better and I am not would be Afghanistan’s first ever female as afraid as before,” she tells AFP. “But I know Olympic swimmer. that I have broken a taboo. I took a big risk by launching this team.” AGAINST ISLAM? HELSINKI: Evgenia Medvedeva from Russia performs during ladies short program of ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2017 yesterday in Before then, Taheri hopes to get his Helsinki. — AFP young swimmers to the Central Asian Championships in Turkmenistan at the end of April. “With some support, we could cer- FIGURE SKATING tainly qualify for the title of regional champi- ons,” he believes. But the challenges of poor infrastructure and a violent patriarchal cul- ture have been compounded by the Afghan Cool Medvedeva leads figure government’s lack of support for the women’s team. “All Muslim countries except Afghanistan have a women’s team, even the strictest,” says Taheri, citing Qatar, Iran and skating worlds in Helsinki Saudi Arabia. “They have training sites for girls, but here there is some misunderstanding about HELSINKI: Russian starlet Evgenia Medvedeva ing more on my own performance and on hav- coached stars including Yevgeny Plushenko, women’s sport, that it is banned by Islam.” coolly fired the first shot in her women’s title ing a clean programme,” said Hongo. “I only had took her to task as she spoke to journalists in The government has even blocked the allo- defence by leading yesterday’s short pro- a short time to prepare for this.” Italian, English, German and French. KABUL: In this photograph taken on cation of 500 Afghanis (less than $8) paid gramme at the world figure skating champi- To get three Olympic places the combined “Less chatter, more skating! And more spins,” March 18, 2017, Afghan swimmer and monthly to members of national sports onships in Helsinki. placement of two of the skaters must add up to barked Mishin, who started coaching the 30- coach Elena Saboori, 25, head of the teams. Nevertheless, Taheri’s federation is The 17-year-old-on a winning streak in nine 13. Meanwhile, former world champion Carolina year-old after she returned to competition fol- newly created Women’s Swimming trying to revamp at least four ruined public consecutive competitions and favourite to Kostner of Italy, the 2012 world champion and lowing a ban in 2015 after being caught up in a Committee, gestures as she speaks dur- swimming pools in Kabul, including one become the first skater since Michelle Kwan in 2014 Olympic bronze medallist, slipped to doping scandal involving her former compan- ing an interview with AFP built in the 1970s by the Soviets on a hill 2001 to win back-to-back world titles-stuck to eighth after errors. “Of course it’s not nice to be ion, walker Alex Schwazer. overlooking the capital. —AFP her formula of racking up maximum points with here and make a mistake, but the important The competition continues at the Hartwall a physically challenging programme with all thing is to be able to fight,” she explained. Arena yesterday evening with the pairs short jumps in the second half. But her Russian coach Alexi Mishin, who has programme. — AFP RUGBY And it paid off once again with the European champion’s score of 79.01 points just below the world record 79.21 she posted on her way to All Blacks not at their gold in the Grand Prix final in December. It put Is there a downside the Muscovite in pole position going into Friday’s free skating final ahead of surprise peak for Lions: Lewsey Canadian duo Kaetlyn Osmond (75.98) and to quad-fest? Gabrielle Daleman (72.19), second and third HONG KONG: Ex-England international when the visitors were whitewashed 3-0. respectively. HELSINKI: When Evan Lysacek struck gold at this year’s U.S. Championships. Josh Lewsey yesterday said the British and He tipped Lions coach Warren Gatland to “If you do the jumps in the second half you the 2010 Winter Olympics without attempt- Irish Lions had a great chance to overturn impose a cohesive style on this year’s com- score more technically,” explained Medvedeva ing a single quadruple jump, men’s figure DAMAGED BODIES the All Blacks this year with the rebuilding posite team drawn from England, Scotland, matter of factly.