China

Switching score is judge's individual behavior: CGA

(Xinhua/Agencies)
Updated: 2011-03-18 11:46

Chinese gymnast Zhang Chenglong (R) and South Korean gymnast Kim Soo-myun are both awarded the gold medal at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, file photo. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese judge Shao Bin. [Photo/Xinhua]

Latest news: Chinese judge to be punished by FIG

International gymnastics officials say they will discipline a Chinese judge who was caught falsifying a score during last year's Asian Games.

Judge's individual behavior: CGA

BEIJING - The Chinese Gymnastics Association (CGA) said on Thursday that the altering of score by a Chinese judge at the Guangzhou Asian Games is an individual behavior.

On Wednesday, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said that it brought a disciplinary suit against Chinese judge Shao Bin for altering score to help Chinese gymnast Zhang Chenglong share a gold medal with a South Korean athlete at last year's Asian Games.

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"Shao acted upon his own initiative and it is an individual behavior," said Pan Chenfei, CGA vice secretary.

CGA underlined its resolute stand against any behaviors violating the sport spirit and judging rules and vowed to adopt corresponding sanctions once FIG identified the wrong-doing of Shao.

"The FIG has decided to take severe action, transferring this case to its Disciplinary Commission," FIG said in a statement.

As mentioned in the statement, the judge Shao, who was only supposed to judge on the Difficulty panel, modified an execution score for Chinese gymnast Zhang Chenglong in the men's floor event.

FIG said Shao altered the score prior to its release without informing either the head execution judge or the Superior Jury.

Shao's action led to Zhang Chenglong's ascent from second to first place, tied with Kim Soo-myun of South Korea for the gold medal at the Asian Games.

Zhang's gold medal is one of the 13 golds won by Chinese gymnastic team at the Games, in which China swept all but one of the gold medals in gymnastics.

A screen grab of FIG's official website about the news, March 16, 2011. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]