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DID you notice that Australia finished below the UK in the Olympics medal table?

Now we learn that Belgian Gardens State School has decreed that performing a cartwheel on the playground is an offence that should result in suspension.

The school has banned all forms of gymnastics during breaks, including handstands and somersaults – even the humble forward roll has been given the flick.

Is this ban rooted in the fear of being seen by crowing British children, who may mock when the Australian tumble fails to meet the required level of expertise?

A mum by the name of Kylie Buschgens tells of her daughter Cali, aged 10, brush with the law:

“She came home from school a couple of times and said `I got in trouble for doing a cartwheel’. I thought she meant that it was wrong to do it on the concrete, but they made an announcement at assembly that gymnastics was banned.”

And then the legacy form Beijing 2008 rears up. Gymnastics is banned. And how long before swimming, running and sailing are also forbidden?

She goes on:

“Two teachers took her upstairs and she had to sit down for the rest of the day and not do anything.”

Or “winning” as Australians should now call it…

Posted: 28th, August 2008 | In: Back pages. Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0