There has likely never been an Olympics where everything has happened without some controversy, and now we have found yet another problem with a Chinese gymnastics judge.
On Monday, Simone Biles failed to impress on the balance beam as Chinese athlete Zhou Yaqin got her first Olympic medal.
Zhou scored 14.100 on the beam to win silver, the country’s second medal of three in artistic gymnastics.
Her winning the medal has now come into question after one gymnastics judge’s actions after the event.
A behind-the-scenes video allegedly shows one of the gymnastics judges doing something that would be frowned upon as she was caught by Brazilian Olympic journalist Demetrio Vecchioli taking pictures with a competitor’s medal.
Zhou Qiurui, who won a bronze medal with Team China in the women’s team competition at the 1984 Olympic Games, was the woman in the video below taking that picture. She works as a judge at the Olympics in Paris this summer.
The video shows Zhou Qiurui speaking with Team China before she pulls out her phone and takes a picture of the silver medal that Qui Qiyuan won on the uneven bars.
Essa mulher chinesa de camisa branca, segurando a medalha de prata conquistada pela China, fotografando-a, é a árbitra chefe da prova de trave.
Isso aconteceu agora há pouco no ginásio de aquecimento. pic.twitter.com/nwan8m4484
— Demétrio Vecchioli (@Olhar_Olimpico) August 5, 2024
Brazilian Olympic journalist Demetrio Vecchioli claims in his caption that the Chinese woman in the white shirt is the chief referee of the beam event.
Chinese Gymnastics Judge And AllJudges At The Olympics Should Always Remain Impartial
Olympic gymnastics judges are paid to judge the event they are assigned, and it goes without saying that they are expected to be impartial and professional.
It should go without question that they should not be showing favoritism to any person or country, no matter where they are from.
It remains to be seen if an investigation will occur due to this particular judge’s behavior.
