The Olympic year was drawing to a close for Rhythmic gymnasts at the discipline's 16th world championships in Brussels (BEL). Only months prior to that event, in Barcelona (ESP), Alexandra Timochenko (UKR) was crowned Olympic champion, with Spanish Carolina Pascual and her compatriot Oksana Skaldina following.

The groups present in Belgium had yet to breathe the mighty air of Mount Olympus. The discipline would have to wait until 1996 and the Atlanta Games to compete in the ultimate of all sporting events, and to see Spain crowned in the presence of Bulgaria and Russia. Yet these groups would leave their mark on Olympic history on that famous Sunday in 1992, at the all-around competition.

The world title was going for a couple hundredths of a point. In first place, the former Soviet Union Team with 38.650 pts. Next was Spain, lacking one tenth of a point, and Italy third with 38.500 pts. North Korea slid into fourth position, just scraping the podium by 5 hundredths of a point!

As the victors stood dazzled under the flashes of so many photographers, medals displayed around proud necks and flowers in hand, the President of the Italian Gymnastics Federation Bruno Grandi was skimming the results that had just come in. He knew how things were done; a former gymnast, coach and judge, he knew what he was about. He also knew that something was amiss with the ranking list. It took him seconds to figure it out. Italy had been over ranked; or rather North Korea had been unjustly scored.

Today, Bruno Grandi holds the Presidency of the FIG. Since his election in 1996, he has championed many an issue, one of the most noteworthy being sport justice. On November 22, 1992, Bruno Grandi took his ideals literally when he reclaimed the six Bronze medals from his own gymnasts only to place them in the hands of North Korea. The ranking list was modified upon his request. Italy placed 4th. /phs

Justice triumphed over pride.
That is the grandeur of a President!