Women’s alternates might be able to train in China

The U.S. women’s gymnastics team alternates might be able to train in China instead of Japan.

Tuesday morning, U.S. team coordinator Martha Karolyi had said that because of possible visa problems the three team alternates – Jana Bieger, Ivana Hong and Corrie Lothrop – would have to be based in Japan instead of Tianjin, about an hour from Beijing.

“We are now working on making the final decision on training location,” USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny said. “We were waiting for approval from the Chinese Gymnastics Assn. regarding the facility in Tianjin, which we received earlier today.”

Athletes on official team rosters are credentialed, and the credential also serves as a visa. Alternates don’t get credentials and must apply for tourist visas.

The U.S. men’s alternates – David Durante, Alexander Artemev and Raj Bhavsar – have their tourist visas. They will be training at Beijing Normal University where the U.S. Olympic Committee will have a team training center. The facility in Tianjin is controlled by the Chinese gymnastic federation.

“The women have not been denied visas for China,” Penny said in a statement Tuesday night.

“Replacement athletes need tourist visas and we are in the process of applying for those. USA Gymnastics has also been researching the best possible training locations for our replacement athletes, which includes a facility in Tianjin and the possibility of going to Tokyo.”

In a conference call Tuesday morning Karolyi had said of the alternates, “We had an arrangement for all of them to train in China. It was canceled and we rescheduled an alternate training in Japan.”

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Men’s team member Morgan Hamm isn’t yet totally clear of further consequences of his failed doping test at last May’s U.S. national championships.

Hamm, 25, received a cortisone shot to help ease pain in an injured ankle. The shot would have been legal had his doctor filed paperwork stating the medication was only for therapeutic purposes.

After reviewing the doctor’s report, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) issued Hamm a warning but said he was eligible to compete. Hamm qualified for the six-man team in June.

But FIG, the international gymnastics federation, has the option to ask that USADA’s decision be overturned. If that happened, the case would be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“We’re waiting to hear from FIG,” Penny said. “The only thing they can do is appeal the USADA warning. We don’t expect they will. USADA is confident in the steps it has taken.”

Men’s team coordinator Ron Brant said he “fully expects” Morgan Hamm to be eligible.

 diane.pucin@latimes.com