By Emily Goddard

Irina DeleanuJune 13 - International rhythmic gymnastics judge Irina Deleanu is suspended from all activity until the end of 2015 for publicly criticising a Cypriot athlete at an Olympic qualifying event after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today threw out her appeal against the sanction.

The 37-year-old Romanian (pictured top), herself a former gymnast who has an annual competition in Bucharest named in her honour - The Irina Deleanu Cup - and European Gymnastics Union Technical Committee member, is also responsible for all fees, including the reimbursement of legal fees to the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

FIG had opened disciplinary proceedings against Deleanu in March 2012 at the request of the Cyprus Gymnastics Federation after she made remarks on television regarding judging at the London 2012 rhythmic gymnastics qualifier in January last year and openly criticised Cypriot gymnast Chrystalleni Trikomiti, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and her father.

Chrystalleni Trikomiti at London 2012 in the all-aroundIrina Deleanu was said to have made comments that would damage the reputation of Chrystalleni Trikomiti (pictured)

The FIG Disciplinary Commission banned Deleanu until the end of 2016 in June 2012 - a sanction she successfully appealed a month later when the governing body's Appeal Tribunal reduced the suspension to the end of 2015.

However, unsatisfied by that result she decided to take her case to CAS, which ultimately dismissed her appeal and confirmed that the sanction issued by the FIG Appeal Tribunal still stands.

FIG secretary general André Gueisbuhler said the FIG had awaited the CAS decision with great interest and is pleased with its outcome.

"With the decision of CAS being final, we consider the matter closed," he told insidethegames.

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