Kitty Chiller has been a member of the International Gymnastics Federation Executive Committee since 2018 ©Getty Images

International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Executive Committee member Kitty Chiller has been sanctioned by the worldwide governing body for her role in "judging irregularities" at a qualification event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The Disciplinary Commission of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF) has confirmed that Chiller, an Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) Executive member, will be prohibited from representing FIG at events for two years after violating rules at last year’s Oceania Continental Championships in rhythmic gymnastics.

Chiller has been barred from "making speeches, awarding prizes or any other act of ceremonial representation" at FIG competitions during that period.

The former modern pentathlete was chief executive of Gymnastics Australia at the time of the offence before stepping down earlier this year.

The 57-year-old is head of the Oceania Gymnastics Union (OGU) and has been a FIG Executive Committee member since 2018.

She is also deputy chief executive of Australia’s National Sports Tribunal and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Entourage Commission.

Australian judges Virginia Elliott and Erin Pankoke have also been punished for their involvement in "judging irregularities" at the tournament held in Carrara in Australia in May 2021 prior to the Olympics in Tokyo.

Elliott has been banned for one year and six months, while Pankoke has been suspended for one year.

The OGU and Gymnastics Australia have been ordered to pay CHF 5,000 (£4,200/$5,200/€4,900) each.

Australia's Lidiia Iakovleva was among those who starred at last year’s Oceania Continental Championships in rhythmic gymnastics ©Getty Images
Australia's Lidiia Iakovleva was among those who starred at last year’s Oceania Continental Championships in rhythmic gymnastics ©Getty Images

All those sanctioned by FIG have 21 days to appeal the decision to the GEF Appeal Tribunal.

Chiller has been a member of the AOC Executive since 2013 and was re-elected in April.

The AOC told the Guardian that it was "not aware of the nature nor the details of the matter and further notes there is scope for an appeal".

"While qualification events are a matter for individual sporting federationsm the AOC has had full confidence in the integrity of the nomination and selection process," the AOC spokesperson added.

According to the Guardian, Gymnastics Australia said it would "take some time to consider the decision and next steps for the organisation and the sport".

During her modern pentathlon career, Chiller represented Australia at Sydney 2000 and claimed seven World Cup medals as well as a series of national titles.

Chiller was deputy Chef de Mission of the Australian team at London 2012 before taking on the role of Chef de Mission at Rio 2016.

In 2020, Chiller received the IOC’s Women and Sport Award for Oceania for her efforts to advance gender quality in sport as an athlete and sports administrator and has been on the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission since 2017.

Chiller is head of Modern Pentathlon Oceania and Modern Pentathlon Australia and is an Executive Board member of the International Modern Pentathlon Union.

She became chief executive of Gymnastics Australia in 2017 before announcing her resignation in January this year when then AOC President John Coates hailed her for doing an "excellent job in improving the operating and governance environment" at the national governing body.