Italy's rhythmic gymnasts perform on their way to gold in the all-around at the World Championships in Japan in 2009 © KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP
The head of Italy's rhythmic gymnastics national team, suspended after a group of former athletes made allegations of bullying over their weight and diets, received a simple warning on Friday.
Emanuela Maccarani had been relieved of her role within the Italian gymnastics federation (FGI) pending investigations into her behaviour.
On Friday, the FGI disciplinary commission, followed recommendations of the body's federal prosecutor Michele Rossetti that "there was no evidence of intentionally or excessively vexatious behavior in relations with the gymnasts".
"There was no relentless effort to obtain an additional medal," he added.
Maccarani's assistant Olga Tishina was cleared of any fault.
In late October, three former rhythmic gymnastics, including two double world champions, made claims of abuse in a series of interviews with daily La Repubblica.
One of the gymnasts, Anna Basta, said she had twice thought about killing herself, while 19-year-old Nina Corradini quit the national set-up in 2021 after spending "every minute of the previous few months wishing I could escape".
Giulia Galtarossa, a world champion in 2009 and 2010 who is and now 31, said she was berated by a coaching assistant for eating a pear, and handed her diet sheet with the message "we have a little piggy in the squad".
Maccarani had held the position of Italy's rhythmic gymnastics team's technical director since 2018. She was also the team's long-time head coach.
She had denied claims of psychological abuse, saying the accusations came from disgruntled gymnasts who were not selected for Olympic squads.
Parents of gymnasts training at the national centre in Desio wrote a letter to the head of Italy's Olympic Committee in support of the 57-year-old, who has won a raft of medals for Italy since taking charge in 1996.
© 2023 AFP