Olympics Rio 2016: Dutch must rule on Yuri van Gelder after booze explusion says IOC
ByReuters
Published 11/08/2016 at 17:42 GMT
Dutch team bosses must decide whether gymnast Yuri van Gelder can compete in the rings final after being thrown out of the Rio Games for breaking a booze ban when he celebrated qualification, Olympic chiefs said on Thursday.
Yuri van Gelder, Netherlands, Rio 2016 (imago)
Image credit: Imago
The 33-year-old was expelled from the Olympics for violating Dutch team rules on alcohol consumption and leaving the team base after heading out of the Olympic village on Saturday evening and spending the night celebrating.
He is now trying to legally challenge the decision to have him banned from competing but the International Olympic Committee said it was up to the Dutch National Olympic Committee to have the final say.
"It is for the NOC to choose the members for their team and they also have to take into account the decision of any court case," IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters."But it is up to the NOC to decide."
The Dutch team has imposed strict conditions on its athletes. According to media reports, they are forbidden from entering Rio for safety reasons, while athletes who have completed their events must return home to avoid distracting team mates.
Van Gelder, the rings world champion in 2005, has a previous instance of violating rules at a major sporting event. In 2009, he was suspended from the Dutch Gymnastics Union for taking cocaine three days before the national championships.
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