BEIJING, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Judging errors like the one which deprived
South Korean gymnast Yang Tae-young off an all-round Olympic gold in Athens will
not be repeated as a video review system debuts in the Beijing Olympic
gymnastics, a FIG official said here on Tuesday.
Yang was involved in one of the biggest controversies in the Athens Games
four years ago when gymnastics' governing body, FIG, ruled that the South Korean
bronze medallist should be awarded a gold medal as he was incorrectly docked a
10th of a point from his parallel bars routine.
Shortly after the Athens Olympics, FIG announced it would implement the
video review system in all FIG events, said Philippe Silacci, FIG's media
officer, who confirmed the Beijing Games is the first Olympics where the system
is applied in gymnastics.
"It is the first time we use it for the Olympic games," he said. "We did
not make a new announcement about the use of the system in the Beijing Games
because it is well-known among the media."
Silcacci said FIG used the system first in the Melbourne World
Championships in 2005, and Aarhus was the second. It is used in every FIG event
including the Olympic Games and no-Olympic world games, but in world cup series,
it is only applied in the finals, he said.
The use of the video review system is a long process and the judging
controversies in Athens is only part of the reasons, Silacci said, who believed
the system helps reduce judging mistakes as a tool for the judges to make
double-check.
"It also helps educate the judges and coaches, as DVDs with all footages on
them will be available to them after the games. It also gives coaches
opportunities to protest if they find judging injustice," said Silacci.
According to him, only the two A judges for each apparatus can watch the
video play-back during the competition.
And if the coaches want to field a protest, they will be given access to
the video play-back after the competition but should be charged 500 U.S.
dollars.
If the coaches are right, FIG gives the money back, but if they are wrong,
the money will go to the FIG foundation, which helps injured gymnasts, said
Silacci.
Silacci said since the implementation of the video review system, judging
errors in gymnastics have gone down sharply. The Beijing Games will also benefit
from the system, he said.