LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — American gymnast Alicia Sacramone was granted special permission Friday to compete in next month's world championships after the U.S. federation was reprimanded for "negligence" in drug-testing rules.
Sacramone retired after helping the U.S. win silver in the team event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but returned to competition in July.
The International Gymnastics Federation, known as FIG, said Friday that USA Gymnastics had failed to give six-months advance notice of her return as required by the sport and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
FIG said it issued a "strong written warning" to the federation, but made an "exceptional decision" to allow Sacramone to compete in the worlds from Oct. 16-24 in Rotterdam.
Sacramone, 22, won a national title in the vault exercise at Hartford, Connecticut, last month.
She has seven career world championships medals, including a gold in the 2007 team event and individual gold in floor exercise two years earlier.
The FIG also warned the Ukraine federation for a similar lapse over the return to competition of rhythmic gymnast Natalia Godunko. She was cleared to compete at the rhythmic worlds beginning Sunday in Moscow.
"This decision was taken to protect these two world class gymnasts from the negligence of their federations," the FIG said. "All member federations have been reminded of the respective rules, and informed that no more exceptions will be made, and to respect the WADA and FIG anti-doping rules."
