This has gone too far, and we need to talk about few things. Everyones trying to interpret rules to their own side now, so - your personal pirate lawyer - please, have a seat.
Try to set your emotions aside as much as possible, because we’re only going to talk about how rules work.
Let's start with basics - rules of awards ceremony
Well, it's literally starts with
These Rules are based on Art. 9 of the FIG Technical Regulations and apply for all FIG official competitions (they should also be valid for all other events)... Modifications to these Rules due to different events, venues, and/or special local circumstances may be made by the FIG President and/or the FIG General Secretary.
But anyway, let's continue so I can show you how nobody cares about these rules (at least because these rules from 2019 and they mention FIG, which is WG now 🙃)
Art 6. LOC must ensure the availability of the equipment to hoist the flags of the winners. Sufficient number of trained staff must be provided by the LOC to tie up and hoist the flags
In Bulgaria (and elsewhere), there simply weren’t any physical flags being hoisted by special personnel. Although, technically speaking, it didn’t just appear on screen - it were actually hoisted 😂
Art 7. Each Head of Delegation must confirm the accuracy of they national anthem. The national anthem is only instrumental.
Remember WCh and how they played Georgian anthem for Dasha instead of German one. Do you think they asked them which anthem was right one?
In Bulgaria both anthems - Ukraine’s and Bulgaria’s were played with lyrics.
Art 11. Everyone in the awards party will turn to face the flags. While gold medal presenter must exclusively congratulate and shake hands with gold medalists, likewise, silver and bronze medal presenters must should do the same. Once National anthem is played, athletes must remain on podium for a short while in order to provide photographers with opportunity to take pictures.
So, athletes are not required to shake hands with each other, clap, kiss, or do any of other things. They should only shake hands with person presenting them with their medal. By the way, in Bulgaria, these presenters shook hands with all medalists, not just the ones who were awarded by them.
Photos. Nowhere does it say that athlete is required to take photo. It says that they must stay to make it possible, but it doesn’t say that they must take photo itself. Wording is precise, yes.
What’s more, it says "in order". This refers to photos where medalists are standing in their places on podium, not ones where they’re all together. Photo like that was taken in Bulgaria before national anthem.
____
So, if take photos and shake hands - it’s not necessary - is Taisiia not to blame? But here we’re talking about another rules - a code of ethics. If Alina and Vera believe that Taisiia violated their rights and discriminated against them in this way, they can file complaint. Next, they’ll have to prove that this is indeed discrimination. But do Belarus and Cyprus need scandals? Definitely not. Russia? Well, if they think that endless scandal is good idea, they should hire conflict manager or something.
___
FIG case. In recent years, their actions have been hard to predict. But if I were in their shoes, I would simply suspend Sofiia for few months, so that both sides would be equally satisfied and dissatisfied.
But getting back to rules. For Bulgaria, the most they’ll get for breaking rules is warning. As I've already shown, nobody cares about these rules.
Try to set your emotions aside as much as possible, because we’re only going to talk about how rules work.
Let's start with basics - rules of awards ceremony
Well, it's literally starts with
These Rules are based on Art. 9 of the FIG Technical Regulations and apply for all FIG official competitions (they should also be valid for all other events)... Modifications to these Rules due to different events, venues, and/or special local circumstances may be made by the FIG President and/or the FIG General Secretary.
But anyway, let's continue so I can show you how nobody cares about these rules (at least because these rules from 2019 and they mention FIG, which is WG now 🙃)
Art 6. LOC must ensure the availability of the equipment to hoist the flags of the winners. Sufficient number of trained staff must be provided by the LOC to tie up and hoist the flags
In Bulgaria (and elsewhere), there simply weren’t any physical flags being hoisted by special personnel. Although, technically speaking, it didn’t just appear on screen - it were actually hoisted 😂
Art 7. Each Head of Delegation must confirm the accuracy of they national anthem. The national anthem is only instrumental.
Remember WCh and how they played Georgian anthem for Dasha instead of German one. Do you think they asked them which anthem was right one?
In Bulgaria both anthems - Ukraine’s and Bulgaria’s were played with lyrics.
Art 11. Everyone in the awards party will turn to face the flags. While gold medal presenter must exclusively congratulate and shake hands with gold medalists, likewise, silver and bronze medal presenters must should do the same. Once National anthem is played, athletes must remain on podium for a short while in order to provide photographers with opportunity to take pictures.
So, athletes are not required to shake hands with each other, clap, kiss, or do any of other things. They should only shake hands with person presenting them with their medal. By the way, in Bulgaria, these presenters shook hands with all medalists, not just the ones who were awarded by them.
Photos. Nowhere does it say that athlete is required to take photo. It says that they must stay to make it possible, but it doesn’t say that they must take photo itself. Wording is precise, yes.
What’s more, it says "in order". This refers to photos where medalists are standing in their places on podium, not ones where they’re all together. Photo like that was taken in Bulgaria before national anthem.
____
So, if take photos and shake hands - it’s not necessary - is Taisiia not to blame? But here we’re talking about another rules - a code of ethics. If Alina and Vera believe that Taisiia violated their rights and discriminated against them in this way, they can file complaint. Next, they’ll have to prove that this is indeed discrimination. But do Belarus and Cyprus need scandals? Definitely not. Russia? Well, if they think that endless scandal is good idea, they should hire conflict manager or something.
___
FIG case. In recent years, their actions have been hard to predict. But if I were in their shoes, I would simply suspend Sofiia for few months, so that both sides would be equally satisfied and dissatisfied.
But getting back to rules. For Bulgaria, the most they’ll get for breaking rules is warning. As I've already shown, nobody cares about these rules.