Competition manipulation is an intentional arrangement aimed at improperly changing the result or the course of a sports competition, to remove all or part of the unpredictable nature of the sports competition with a view to obtaining an undue benefit for oneself or others.
Competition manipulation occurs when a participant(s) in a gymnastics competition (an athlete, athlete support personnel, official, referee, judge, etc.) cheats to remove the unpredictability of a competition. The participant knowingly underperforms or deliberately makes wrongful decisions affecting the result or course of a competition, which is entirely against the Olympic spirit. The reason behind such an action would be either to gain a sporting advantage (e.g. facing an easier opponent in the 2nd round of a tournament) or to gain a financial benefit, notably linked to sports betting.
In order to best fight against competition manipulation, the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) has adopted the FIG Code of Ethics in line with the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions. Breaches of the Code of Ethics and the Olympic Movement Code can result in severe damage to your reputation and to gymnastics, and moreover lead to disciplinary sanctions and criminal sanctions.
Breaches include:
If such a breach is identified, there will be disciplinary proceedings which could lead to disciplinary sanctions for the sportspersons involved.
Relevant breaches of the Code not only undermine the credibility of your sport, but also the credibility of the overall sports movement and all athletes. It is therefore not only a responsibility, but also a moral duty of all of us to report anything that comes to our attention and looks suspicious. It is our right and obligation to contribute to protecting the moral integrity of our fellow athletes and our sport by reporting in a secure manner any potential breach that comes to our attention at your earliest opportunity.
To report any breaches of the Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions during Tokyo 2020 you can either use:
“The IOC Integrity and Compliance Hotline can be used to report any breaches of the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions in the Olympic/Youth Olympic Games, notably betting on one’s sport, sharing inside information, any successful/unsuccessful attempt of competition manipulation, corrupt conduct, and failure to report such information. The IOC Integrity and Compliance Hotline provides confidentiality and anonymity, and it is accessible at any time for anyone who wishes to report any of the aforementioned breaches in relation to gymnastics events that take place at the Olympic/Youth Olympic Games and/or under the jurisdiction of the IOC. Link: www.olympic.org/integrityhotline”