During its fifth meeting, held virtually on 9 October 2020, the Council of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF) discussed the appointment of new members to its Disciplinary Commission and Appeal Tribunal for the upcoming 2021 – 2024 term. The announcement of the appointment of the new members will be made in due course, with the full composition to be published on the GEF website.
The Council members were provided with an update on the current status of ongoing cases and discussed some related key issues. In addition, the Council took note of the FIG Executive Committee’s recent decision to transfer all doping cases to the Court of Arbitration’s Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD) with effect from 1 January 2021. This is a positive development as it will enable the new members of the Disciplinary Commission to focus on strengthening their expertise in abuse cases.
The Council was also updated on recent communications activities aimed at increasing the GEF’s visibility, especially within the gymnastics community. It is important that athletes, their parents and entourage, officials and National Federations are aware of the GEF and its mission. During the last months and following the airing of ‘Athlete A’, it was highlighted the GEF replied proactively to an increased number of media and interview requests in order to spread the word about its supporting role.
The Council was likewise reminded of the FIG e-conference that will be held on 26-27 October 2020 and which is aimed at “finding solutions for a respectful culture and safe training environment in Gymnastics”. The GEF has been providing input into the organisation of this virtual meeting, which is targeted at National Federations, and the GEF President will participate in the event through a short video presentation.
The next Council meeting will be held in the first quarter of 2021.