ATHENS, Aug 22 (AFP) - Paul Hamm, the American gymnast whose Olympic men's all-around victory has been protested by South Korean officials, said he would give back his gold medal if officials decide that is the proper course.
"If they decide I should give back the gold medal, then I will," Hamm said.
"I personally believe I'm still the Olympic champion."
Hamm competed in individual apparatus events here Sunday, finishing sixth on pommel horse and fifth in floor exercise.
The Koreans objected that Yang Tae Young was given a start value of 9.9 rather than 10 on his horizontal bar routine in the all-around final rotation.
International Gymnastics Federation officials agreed the judging was in error and suspended those involved, but said that there was no appeal of judging scores and the result, with Hamm the winner, would stand.
If Yang had started from 10 rather than 9.9, he would have beaten Hamm for the all-around gold medal by .051 of a point rather than losing the tightest Olympic men's all-around final in history by .049.