Blackstone silk leads appeal for GB rhythmic gymnastics team
Blackstone Chambers’ Michael Beloff QC is to represent Great Britain’s rhythmic gymnastics group in their appeal against their exclusion from the Olympic Games.
Michael Beloff QC
The Sport Resolutions panel, an independent body set up to adjudicate sporting disputes, will hear the appeal next Wednesday (29 February).
Beloff was instructed by Gibraltar firm Hassans after the team missed the required score set by British Gymnastics in the group all-around qualifying competition in January. If the appeal is successful it could earn the self-funded team a place in London’s Olympics later this year.
British Gymnastics will be represented by solicitor advocate Simon McKay of McKay Law Solicitors & Advocates.
The case is to be heard by sports arbitrator Graham Mew, a member of 4 New Square. Mew was appointed by the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) to serve as a member of the ad hoc panel of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) at the London Olympic Games in November.
Beloff has long had an association with the Olympic Games. He was appointed as a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 1996 and was an arbitrator at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
In 2004 he was appointed by London 2012, which was then bidding for the event, as ethics commissioner and chair of the London 2012 ethics advisory group.
Last year he chaired the International Cricket Council tribunal investigation into allegations of corruption by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. They were found guilty.
Readers' comments (11)
Anonymous | 24-Feb-2012 2:24 pm
Don't the British Rhythmic Gymnastic Team get a host nation wild card anyway?
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Anonymous | 24-Feb-2012 2:52 pm
Yes they do, hence why the rhythmic gymnastics group is in dispute with British Gymnastics which set a requirement for entry as part of the British team for the Olympics.
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Anonymous | 24-Feb-2012 3:17 pm
Glad this has been taken further - they were so close to getting the necessary score, so wouldn't have been an embarrassment. It was just mean to say they coudn't take part
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Petro | 24-Feb-2012 6:35 pm
Who says its a sport anyway ? Bunch of girls twiddling around with ribbons. Utter rubbish.
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Chris walker | 24-Feb-2012 10:14 pm
It is a disgrace that British Gymnastics have not supported the Rythmic Team especially as they proved they were good enough to compete over the 3 trial days. I hope that the Sports Resolution Panel support their deserved inclusion in the Games.
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Anonymous | 25-Feb-2012 12:35 pm
This is high farce. They didnt reach the required score end of story.
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Anonymous | 25-Feb-2012 2:31 pm
VERY glad they are fighting - they deserve it and they have the biggest support behind them :)
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Anonymous | 25-Feb-2012 2:34 pm
Over 4000 people have already shown their support and have signed a petition to get this decision over-turned. British Gymnastics have not financially invested in this group and they are not being asked to. All they want is a chance, a demonstration of support, to raise the profile of the sport by ensuring to it is represented in the Olympic Games. Please show your support and sign the petition. http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/get-gb-rhythmic-group-to-london-2012-olympics.html
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Anonymous | 25-Feb-2012 2:55 pm
Having only missed the criteria by 0.273 on the second day of the test event but smashed it by over 2 points on the third day these girls have proved they are more than credible and as the wild card is their entitlement anyway (as we are the host nation) it seems very petty that their own organisation is putting up all these barriers to stop them competing. Taking part for the first time in their own country can only stir great enthusiasm for the sport from young women in the future. We should all be backing them and encouraging them. They have worked extremely hard and are also self funded and have put education on hold this last year to concentrate fully on training for this dream. Good Luck to them for the right outcome on Wednesday.
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Anonymous | 29-Feb-2012 10:03 am
What a disgrace British Gymnastics are !
The Group has worked so hard to get to an Olympic standard which they achieved over the test event dates, so what it was on the last day.
To haul this to arbitration with all the costs involved in hiring QC etc, they should have used that money to give these girls a better opportunity to improve on what they have already achieved.
Its our Olympics BG you are a laughing stock across the world for what you are doing and I so hope you get you deserve at his appeal.
#eggonface
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Anonymous | 5-Mar-2012 11:10 pm
Interesting GB should have tried to stop them taking part, when the CEO is defending a GB judge sanctioned for cheating at the World championship so they can officiate at the OG
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