GENEVA (AP) — A senior judge in gymnastics was banned for four years on Thursday for manipulating scores to help an athlete from her own country Cyprus qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Evangelia Trikomiti “unduly interfered with the judges’ work” last May at the European Championships in rhythmic gymnastics that sent Vera Tugolukova to Paris, said the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation which investigated the case.
Tugolukova, who switched national eligibility from Russia in 2022, placed 16th in the Olympic individual all-around event. She carried the Cyprus flag at the Paris Games closing ceremony at Stade de France.
Trikomiti’s intervention in scoring at the European qualifier held in Budapest in May denied an Olympic place to 15-year-old Liliana Lewińska of Poland.
The Polish gymnastics federation filed allegations against Trikomiti, who was charged by the GEF in July three days before the Olympics opening ceremony. She was provisionally suspended and removed from Olympic duty.
The case did not stop the 15-year-old Tugolukova from competing in Paris because investigators could not act against field-of-play decisions taken in May, the GEF said.
Trikomiti faced a disciplinary case for allegedly breaking the International Gymnastics Federation’s code of ethics and judges’ competition oath. It requires “complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship.”
Two judges at the Olympic qualifying event testified against Trikomiti at a hearing held in December before an independent panel of three arbitrators.
Trikomiti’s lawyers argued witnesses “had apparent biases and grudges that render their evidence unreliable” and that her “only connection to Ms. Tugolukova was their shared nationality,” the published verdict stated.
Trikomiti was banned from judging for four years though not from coaching. European Gymnastics, where Trikomiti is an executive committee member, was ordered to pay 8,000 euros ($8,300) toward the cost of the investigation.
“While competition manipulation should of course never happen, this decision reinforces the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation’s commitment to ensuring fair and safe competition through the prosecution of any infringement to the sport’s integrity and safety rules,” its director Alex McLin said in a statement.
The GEF was created in 2019 and funded by the FIG to better protect athletes after the scandal of sexual abuse by a former United States team doctor.
In a statement Thursday, the foundation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, praised “the crucial role of informants and/or whistleblowers” in its work.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
FILE - Vera Tugolukova, of Cyprus, performs her ribbon exercise in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — When the Denver Broncos won their first AFC West title in a decade last week, Sean Payton said he didn't talk about it with his team and he told reporters he'd heard the commemorative caps and T-shirts were ugly.
So, it's not surprising when Payton insists he's not focused on the NFL-best and franchise-record 64 sacks the Broncos have piled up heading into Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers with the AFC's top playoff seed on the line.
“I'm not worried about the sacks, not worried about the sacks,” Payton said. "I'm worried about caging the quarterback, rushing him properly. So we’re not focused on the sack numbers. Those can actually be numbers that help a quarterback climb up in the pocket.
"A lot of it maybe has to do with who we’ve been playing relative to the quarterback position, but I’m not interested in the sack numbers.”
Still, they're significant.
The Broncos' 64 sacks, one more than they had last year when they also led the league, are 11 more than the next team's, the Atlanta Falcons, who have 53.
A whopping 17 Denver players have gotten in on the sack attack, led by Nik Bonitto with 12 1/2.
“I think that's the most underrated part about when we rush the passer, or a lot of these blitzes that are being called, is we have so many unselfish guys," Bonitto said. "The D-tackles being willing to drop in coverage, the outside linebackers being able to drop in coverage and the DBs knowing when to blitz and just guys rushing the right way.
“That's why we're seeing the numbers that we are and everybody's able to get a piece of the cake when it comes to getting the sacks.”
For a while, the Broncos were on pace to set the NFL record for most sacks in a season, a mark that's held by the Chicago Bears, who had 72 sacks in 1984.
But since their bye week a month and a half ago, the Broncos have averaged three sacks a game, down from the 4.45 clip they produced during their first 11 games.
To curtail Denver's pass rush, opposing quarterbacks have been getting the ball out of their hands quickly.
“They'd better,” Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph cracked.
Or else they'll get sacked.
But playing the short game with quick passes to keep the Broncos at bay only plays into the the Broncos' hands in the bigger picture as opponents curtail their own downfield passing game to keep their quarterback upright.
“Absolutely, I see that as we’re first in yards per play and we’re first in giving up (the fewest) big plays. That’s it,” Joseph said. “So, if you want to chase numbers, let’s chase the right numbers. And numbers change and numbers can tell a lot of stories. But teams don’t want to get sacked by us, so the ball is coming out quicker. But if we tackle well, it doesn’t hurt us.”
That's where sure-handed rookie Jahdae Barron comes in as the Broncos implement their “Big Nickel" defense in heavy doses with inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) sidelined.
Denver's defense has had to adjust to the quicker releases, too.
“My point to our guys is basics, tackling, the ball is going to come out quicker. D-line, get your hands up, knock some balls down,” Joseph said. “No one’s going to hold the ball against us. It’s gonna be the same on Sunday, it’s gonna be the same in the playoffs, if they hold it we’re going to sack them.”
The Broncos only sacked third-string Chiefs QB Chris Oladokun one time in their 20-13 win at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas night, but they limited him to 66 yards passing and held Kansas City to just 139 yards of total offense.
Joseph insists the Broncos could have obliterated the single-season sack record if Denver's pass rushers weren't unselfish. But they're a disciplined bunch, not rushing past the quarterback's deepest drop and, as Payton said, focused instead on caging the quarterback.
If he steps up to avoid the rush, defensive lineman Zach Allen has been there to close the escape route. Allen's 45 quarterback hits so far lead the league, eight ahead of second-place Myles Garrett, who can set the single-season record with a sack on Sunday.
Allen's 68 quarterback pressures are the most by any NFL interior defensive lineman.
“We're not rushing recklessly (and) passing the quarterback to get 64 sacks," Joseph said. “So, it's being done right.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
