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Expelled Dutch gymnast Van Gelder loses court case to compete in Olympic final

Xinhua, August 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Dutch national Olympic committee NOC/NSF had the right to expel Dutch gymnast Yuri van Gelder from the Dutch Olympic squad, the court in Arnhem decided on Friday.

NOC/NSF had sent Van Gelder home on Tuesday after the 33-year-old gymnast had gone out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, having used alcohol, having returned at the Olympic village at 6.00 in the morning, failed to attend a training and having offended the rules of the Dutch squad.

Van Gelder filed interim proceedings at the court in Arnhem to get his place in the Dutch squad back and to get financial compensation. According to his lawyer the exclusion was illegal, because the rules are not clear.

The judge however ruled that there was enough reason to expel Van Gelder, who suffered from a cocaine addiction in the past. The court did not announce further details. A full ruling will be published next week.

Due to the ruling Van Gelder will definitely not be competing in the Olympic rings final on Monday in Brazil. The Dutch gymnastics association had already withdrew the rings world champion 2005. Enditem