FIG International Judges Course for Trampoline Gymnastics
Buenos Aires (ARG), February 12 - 14, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 12, 2010: For the first time since 1998, Argentina conducted a FIG International Judges Course within its own borders, this time in the capital city of Buenos Aires. The course took place from February 12 – 14, 2010 and was conducted by FIG Trampoline Technical Committee Member Stéphan Duchesne (CAN). 12 candidates attended from Argentina, 4 of which received their brevet in Trampoline, 5 in Tumbling and 8 in Double Mini-Trampoline. For the majority of participants the course was a chance for a first-time brevet, with 1 candidate obtaining a level 2 in DMT. An active country, Argentina successfully organised the 2008 Pan American Championships, and the course brought the country one step closer to being ready to host the upcoming 2010 Pan American Championships.

The FIG would like to thank newly breveted FIG judge Carolina Corradi from the Argentinean Gymnastics Federation for her help with the Spanish translation.

11th Junior Asian Championships in Artistic and Trampoline Gymnastics
Chiba (JPN), March 13 – 16, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 12, 2010: The Asian Gymnastics Union is organising the 11th Junior Asian Championships in Trampoline and Artistic Gymnastics at the Makuhari Event Hall in Chiba (JPN). Eligible junior gymnasts from Asia will get a shot at qualifying for the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore from March 13 – 16, 2010.

The parallel event for Rhythmic Gymnastics took place in Tashkent (UZB) on February 16 - 19, 2010 (see review).

YOG athlete eligibility

Artistic Gymnastics

A quota of 7, including one spot for host country Singapore, is allotted to Asian MAG juniors at the Youth Olympic Games. Girls compete for 5 plus 1 (host) spots.

The required age for Artistic gymnasts to be eligible to participate in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is 16-17 years for boys (born in 1993 or 1994), and 15 years for girls (born in 1995). Gymnasts must qualify at their Junior Continental Championships and may not have previously participated at FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games. A maximum of one male and one female athlete is allowed per NOC.

All gymnasts must have reached the following minimum standards: Boys as well as girls must participate on all apparatus and reach an average minimum execution score of 7.5, thus a total execution score of at least 45 points for MAG and 30 points for WAG.

Trampoline Gymnastics

In Trampoline two spots for girls and boys each will be allocated to Asian gymnasts, whereby one spot is reserved for the host country in each case.

The required age for Trampoline gymnasts eligible for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is 16-17 years (born in 1993 or 1994) for both boys and girls and all gymnasts must have reached the following minimum standards: Boys must reach a preliminary score of 55.00 points or a second or final score of 30.00 points. For girls the minimum requirements are set at 54.00 (preliminaries) or 29.00 (second / final routine) points.

As in Artistic Gymnastics, athletes must qualify at their Junior Continental Championships and may not have participated in FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games prior to the event. A maximum of one male and one female athlete is allowed per NOC.

Asian Junior Artistic and Trampoline Championships

In contrast to YOG qualification, the Asian Junior Championships for Artistic Gymnastics allow for the participation of 14 to 18 year old boys and 13 to 15 year old girls. Age categories for Trampoline Gymnastics are identical.

Click here for details!

Participants Asian Junior Artistic and Trampoline Championships

Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
Trampoline Gymnastics

Have a look at the draw!

Schedule

Saturday, March 13
TRA Women’s Individual Qualification
WAG Team and All-around Finals / Qualification for Competition III

Sunday, March 14
TRA Men’s Individual Qualification
MAG Team and All-around Finals / Qualification for Competition III

Monday, March 15
MAG Floor Exercise Final, TRA Women’s Individual Final
MAG Pommel Horse Final, WAG Vault Final
MAG Rings Final, WAG Uneven Bars Final

Tuesday, March 16
MAG Vault Final, TRA Men’s Individual Final
MAG Parallel Bars Final, WAG Balance Beam Final
MAG Horizontal Bar Final, WAG Floor Exercise Final

More information can be found on the official event website.

Junior Pan American Championships in Trampoline Gymnastics
Daytona Beach (USA), March 25 - 27, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 5, 2010: A total of 5 countries will take part in the Junior Pan American Championships for Trampoline Gymnastics in Daytona Beach, Florida (USA) on March 25 - 27. This competition is qualifying for the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

A total of 12 girls and 10 boys will compete in the Junior Pan American Championships, and only gymnasts born in 1993 or 1994 and holding a valid FIG Licence will be eligible for the 2 slots open to represent the Americas at the YOG.

The official draw was conducted in Chicago, Illinois (USA) on March 2nd by Stephan Duchesne (CAN), President of the Trampoline Technical Committee for the Pan American Gymnastics Union (PAGU) and member of the FIG Trampoline TC, under the supervision of Ann Sims, Member of the PAGU Trampoline Technical Committee.

Girls

#	Federation	Family Name	First Name	Age
1	USA	Foster	Angela	16
2	ARG	Colombo	Mara	17**
3	MEX	Navarro Loza	Dafne Carolina	14*
4	MEX	Del Rio Garcia	Maria Rosa Carolina	16
5	CAN	Pothier	Joanie	17
6	BRA	Cardoso De Lima	Daienne	17
7	USA	Kurz	McKenna	17
8	CAN	Madigan	Mariah	17
9	CAN	Huang-Gratton	Melissa	16
10	MEX	Fernandez Lomeli	Alejandra	17
11	USA	Vinsant	Savannah	17
12	USA	Earnest	Dakota	17

* age ineligible for YOG qualification
** currently ineligible for YOG qualification due to lack of valid FIG Licence

Boys

* age ineligible for YOG qualification

Parallel to this important qualifying event, the competition in Daytona Beach will feature the Senior Pan American Championships for all Trampoline Gymnastics disciplines, as well as the Pan American Club Age Group Championships.
More than 260 athletes from 6 countries will take part in diverse competitions.

1st Youth Olympic Games
Singapore (SIN), August 14 – 26, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 4, 2010: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently held a contest to select the design that would adorn the front side of the first Youth Olympic Games medals. The Games are set for August 14 - 26, 2010 in Singapore.

Candidates were asked to submit their entries by December 4, 2009, after which time Internet users could vote for their favourite pick up until January 22, 2010. In the final round, the 10 most popular projects were presented to an IOC-appointed jury for selection of the winning design.

The IOC announced yesterday, on March 3, that Setsuko Fukuzawa is the grand prize winner of the Medal Design Competition. For her submission, lucky Setsuko was rewarded a visit for two to the Singapore Youth Olympic Games. Congratulations!

To read more about Setsuko’s project, click here!

FIG International Judges Course for Trampoline Gymnastics
Veracruz (MEX), October 8 – 10, 2009

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 4, 2010: In October of 2009, Mexico hosted a FIG International Judges Course in the city of Veracruz, a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the state of Veracruz. The course was conducted by FIG Trampoline Technical Committee Member Stéphan Duchesne (CAN). 13 candidates attended from Argentina (1), Mexico (11) and Puerto Rico (1), 6 of whom received a brevet 4, 2 a brevet 3 in Trampoline and 1 a brevet 4 in Double Mini-Trampoline. Mexico is slated to host the multi-sport Pan American Games in Guadalajara in 2011, where the qualifying tournament for Trampoline will take place later this year.

The FIG extends its gratitude to brevet judge Gloria Vicencio for her assistance with the Spanish translation.

FIG Apparatus Commission Meetings
Lausanne (SUI), February 24 – 25, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 4, 2010: Summoned by the FIG Trampoline Technical Committee and completed by representatives of five major trampoline and tumbling apparatus manufacturers (Eurotramp, Janssen-Fritsen, Spieth, Continental and Gymnova), the Federation’s Apparatus Commission met on February 24, 2010 in Lausanne (SUI) for an extraordinary meeting on FIG norms and testing procedures related to the discipline.

The meeting was characterised by open discussions among commission representatives and manufacturers in the aim of bettering the Trampoline, Tumbling and Double Mini-Trampoline Norms and Testing Procedures. A number of issues were raised and discussed that will help to improve certain aspects of the discipline, the FIG Norms and overall safety in Trampoline Gymnastics in the future.

Ludwig Schweizer, commission member and Director of “Gymlab”, the Gymnastic Equipment Test Laboratory at the University of Freiburg’s Institute for Sports and Sport Science in Germany, presented the norms and testing procedures in detail. A decision to modify the allowed tolerances for height of rebound was postponed. Both the manufactures and Gymlab will report back to the TC on the matter.

Following the extraordinary session, commission members continued with their ordinary meeting on February 25th alongside representatives from Spieth, Continental and Bänfer, to focus specifically on issues related to Trampoline Gymnastics.

A pleasant atmosphere contributed to fruitful discussions and bore a number of proposed decisions relative to a variety of disciplines.

In Artistic Gymnastics, new testing procedures now require adjustments to the FIG norms in the area of testing figures for uneven bars, horizontal bar and parallel bars. A modification to testing procedures for floors was proposed to secure the well-being and safety of gymnasts. Furthermore, the commission reviewed the norms for the length of the safety collar, the height of the protection for the vaulting table base, and the functional properties of the parallel bars. Where necessary and following certain guidelines, the committee devised a proposal that would allow for the uneven bars in Women’s Artistic to be raised by 5 or 10 cm. The proposal was approved by the FIG Executive Committee for the 2010 European and World Championships exclusively.

For Trampoline Gymnastics, a proposal to make use of an additional mat behind the landing area in Tumbling and Double Mini-Trampoline was carried and specifications for a time measurement device (TMD) were submitted for approval.

All proposals will have to be ratified by the FIG Executive Committee prior to taking effect. Apart from the TMD in Trampoline Gymnastics and the uneven bars in Artistic Gymnastics, which were approved at the EC meeting in late February, all proposals will be dealt with at the next EC meeting in Chiba (JPN), May 9 – 11, 2010.

The next meeting of the FIG Apparatus Commission will be held in 2011.

Change in TRA Code of Points

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 3, 2010: After two years of research, the FIG Trampoline Gymnastics Technical Committee introduced time of flight as an additional objective criteria in Individual Trampoline judging. Time of flight research was first presented at a Symposium held parallel to the 2009 World Championships in St Petersburg (RUS), where a clear majority vote by the federations present gave the go-ahead to implement the new criteria into the Code of Points (CoP).

The TC then reviewed the CoP, made the necessary changes and proposed a complete package to the FIG Executive Committee. At its meeting last weekend in Lausanne (SUI) the EC followed up with a unanimous decision in favour of the proposal as presented by TC President Horst Kunze (GER).

The new CoP will come into force on September 1, 2010, which means it will be valid for the FIG World Cup in Albacete (ESP), all following World Cups of the Series and the 27th FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Metz (FRA) in November.

The revised CoP has been published at the FIG website.
The following sections of the CoP have been affected by the time of flight decision:

Individual competiton: 1.1.2
Routines: 5.1.1, 5.1.3
Recorders & Secretariat: 10.3.4
Scoring: 18., 18.2.1, 18.2.7, 18.29
The Judges’ Panel: 19.1.4, 19.1.6
Duties of the Chair of Judges Panel: 20.12
Duties of the Judge for Time of Flight: 25

10th African Championships 2010 in ART, RG, TRA and AER
Walvis Bay (NAM), March 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 1, 2010: This month, junior and senior gymnasts hailing from Africa will gather in Walvis Bay (NAM) to compete at the 10th African Championships 2010. Competitions will be held in Artistic, Rhythmic, Trampoline and Aerobic Gymnastics. For Olympic disciplines, junior tournaments will qualify eligible gymnasts for the 1st Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore this summer. With a limit of one gymnast per NOC (1 Group in the case of Rhythmic Groups = 4 gymnasts), Africa has been allocated the following quota for the YOG:

MAG and WAG: 2 gymnasts each; RG: 2 Individuals and 1 Group (= 4 gymnasts); and TRA: 1 male and 1 female gymnast.

In addition, each competition allows for a certain number of what are referred to as NOC universality places, which guarantee the representation of all continents, as stipulated by the IOC.

YOG competition format and athlete eligibility

Artistic Gymnastics

The Youth Olympic Games competition format for Artistic Gymnastics is as follows: All gymnasts (42 boys and 42 girls) compete as individuals in a qualifying event, the results of which are used to identify the Individual All-around and Apparatus finalists. Gymnasts compete on all six apparatus for boys and on all four apparatus for girls. The best 18 male and female gymnasts from the qualifications proceed to the Individual All-around Finals, and the top eight who placed highest on each apparatus compete for the apparatus titles.

While for both the boys’ and girls’ competitions 28 gymnasts qualify via the FIG, 13 spots are reserved as NOC universality places in order to guarantee the representation of each continent, with one extra place for the host country. Continental quotas have been allocated as follows: 14 spots for Europe, 7 for Asia (including 1 spot for the host country), 2 for Africa, 5 for America and 1 for Oceania.

The required age for Artistic gymnasts to be eligible to participate in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is 16-17 years for boys (born in 1993 or 1994), and 15 years for girls (born in 1995). Gymnasts must qualify at their Junior Continental Championships and may not have previously participated at FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games. A maximum of one male and one female athlete is allowed per NOC.

All gymnasts must have reached the following minimum standards: Boys as well as girls must participate on all apparatus and reach an average minimum execution score of 7.5, thus a total execution score of at least 45 points for MAG and 30 points for WAG.

Rhythmic Gymnastics

The Youth Olympic Games feature two events in Rhythmic Gymnastics: Individual All-around and Group All-around. Individuals compete on Rope, Hoop, Ball and Clubs; Groups on 4 Hoops and 4 Ribbons. A total of 18 Individual gymnasts and six Groups will qualify for Singapore. The continental quotas have been allocated as follows: In Individuals, Europe gets 6 spots, Asia 3 (including 1 spot for the host country), Africa 2, America 2 and Oceania 1. Four spots are reserved as NOC universality places in order to guarantee the representation of each continent. These will have an opportunity to send one Rhythmic Group to the Youth Olympic Games, with an extra spot for Asia as the host country.

Gymnasts competing in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games must be 15 years old (born in 1995) and may not have participated in FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games prior to the event. Additionally, they must fulfil specified performance criteria. In Individual, gymnasts must participate at all apparatus and reach an average minimum execution score of 7.5, thus a total of 30 points minimum. Groups must reach a minimum average execution score of 7.5 points in both exercises, which means at a minimum 15 points total.

Trampoline Gymnastics

In Trampoline Gymnastics the YOG programme schedules an individual competition for boys and one for girls. Each qualification round consists of two routines of 10 skills, and the top eight male and female athletes qualify for the Finals. Each final round consists of one routine of 10 skills.

A total of 12 gymnasts each will qualify for Singapore, whereas Europe takes three spots, Asia two (including one for the host country), America also two, and Africa and Oceania one spot each. Three spots are reserved as NOC universality places.
The required age for Trampoline gymnasts eligible for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is 16-17 years (born in 1993 or 1994) for both boys and girls.

As in Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics, athletes must qualify at their Junior Continental Championships and may not have participated in FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games prior to the event. A maximum of one male and one female athlete is allowed per NOC.

Competition Schedule 2010 African Championships

Artistic Gymnastics

Wednesday, March 3: Competition I, II and IV, Junior / Senior
Thursday, March 4: Competition III, Senior
Friday, March 5: Competition III, Senior

Rhythmic and Aerobic Gymnastics

Sunday, March 7: Competition I, II and IV, Junior / Senior / Groups
Monday, March 8: Competition III, Junior / Senior & AER Finals
Tuesday, March 9: Competition III, Junior / Senior

Trampoline Gymnastics

Thursday, March 11: Competition TRA TUM, Junior / Senior & TUM Finals
Friday, March 12: TRA Finals, Junior / Senior & DMT Qualification / Finals
For the detailed programme click here!

Read a related article at Namibia Sport!

Jannie Jansen International Trampoline Competition
Tshwane (RSA), March 3 – 4, 2010

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 1, 2010: The Jannie Jansen International Trampoline, Double-mini and Tumbling Competition gets underway on March 3 - 4. With athletes such as Bianca Budler and Karen Wilson and Lucky Radebe (all RSA), the competition promises to be cut-throat as they go up against world ranked participants from Brazil and France.

Trampoline and Tumbling in South Africa

The Jannie Jansen Competition is part of the high performance plan of South African Gymnastics Federation (SAGF) which is to expose as many South African gymnasts to international standard competition. This is a forward thinking gesture that aligns itself to the SASCOCS’s commitment to improve the standard of performance of our national athletes. SAGF Manager of High Performance Tseko Mogotsi says, “The Jannie Jansen will build international relations and ensure regular interaction with foreign teams and expertise on an annual basis, expose Gymnastics to the community and inspire our gymnasts to reach the top of their abilities.”

Jannie Jansen

The competition is a tribute to the late Jannie Jansen, a great contributor to the sport of Trampoline. He was one of the founding members of the former International Trampolining Federation (FIT) which came into being in on 4 March 1964. From its inception till his sudden death in 1992, Jannie Jansen served on the FIT executive as well as the Olympic Council. During the economic sanctions against South Africa, South Africa was able to compete in the 1982 Trampoline World Championships as well as the 1984 edition of the same competition through his efforts. Jannie Jansen is well remembered in the Trampoline circles as a dynamic personality who was adored by all who knew him. Helen van der Walt said “The competition is a fitting tribute of his contribution to the sport.”

Competitors

With so much history steeped in this event, the competition promises to highlight South African Trampoline and Tumbling talent as well as celebrate the 46th anniversary of Trampoline and Tumbling existence internationally. Sport enthusiasts can look forward to see the best international and national gymnasts at the Jannie Jansen Competition. They include famous Tumbler and Double-mini gymnast Bruno Martini (BRA), Tumbler Morgan Sauton (FRA); World Number 2 Synchro Pair, Sebastien Martiny (FRA) & Gregoire Pennes (FRA); World Number 3 Tumbler, Karen Wilson (RSA); World Number 8 Tumbler, Bianca Budler (RSA), World number 3 Junior Tumbler, Tiaan Visagie (RSA) and 2009 World Games Double-mini Trampoline Finalist Lucky Radebe (RSA).

(source: SAGF / adapt. FIG))

More information

FIG Academy Working Group for Trampoline Gymnastics

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, February 19, 2010: Two days after the conclusion of the meetings of the Academy Working Group for Aerobic Gymnastics, on February 17 - 18, it was the turn of the Academy Trampoline Working Group. Once again, the meeting was held in the FIG Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI). It was the second of a series of meetings of working groups for four different disciplines planned to be held one after another.

The primary purpose of the meeting was to prepare the curriculum, content and resources for the first Level 3 Academies planned to begin in December this year. In addition, the working group reviewed all documents, resources and lectures from the six Level 1 and 2 academies held to date.

Present at the meeting were FIG Vice President Slava Corn (CAN), Nikolay Makarov (RUS) and Christophe Lambert (FRA) (both Vice Presidents of the FIG Trampoline Gymnastics TC), Michael Kuhn (German National Coach), Dr. Keith Russell (CAN) (President of the FIG Scientific Commission), Ulf Andersson (former member of the FIG Trampoline Gymnastics TC), Hardy Fink (Director of FIG Education & Academy Programmes) and Olivia Bille Peña (Manager of FIG Education Programmes).

As is typical of Working Group meetings, once the business items were finished, the rest of the meeting was used as a working meeting to modify the documents, resources and technical manuals for use at academies later this year and beyond and to begin to prepare the Level 3 materials for the first L3 Academy.

11th Junior Asian Championships in Artistic and Trampoline Gymnastics
Chiba (JPN), March 13 – 16, 2010

TOKYO (JPN) - LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, February 18, 2010: The drawing of lots for the 11th Junior Asian Championships in Artistic and Trampoline Gymnastics was held on February 16, just one month prior to the beginning of the competition, a qualifying event for the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

The draw was conducted at the Head Office of the Japan Gymnastic Association (JGA) in Tokyo (JPN) in the presence of FIG Vice President Koji Takizawa, FIG Women’s Artistic TC member and Asian Gymnastics Union (AGU) Women’s Artistic TC President Yoshie Harinishi, JGA Executive Director Morinari Watanabe, and JGA Trampoline Gymnastics Judges Committee Shinya Muto.

The draw was held after the deadline for nominative registration. The AGU had registered the participation of 16 federations represented by 123 athletes; a total of 58 Men’s Artistic gymnasts, 42 Women’s Artistic gymnasts and 26 trampolinists (13 boys, 10 girls).

Drawing of lots for MAG Competition I
Drawing of lots for WAG Competition I
Drawing of lots for TRA Competition I
Drawing of lots for ART Competition III

(source: JGA / adapt. FIG)

On the way to Singapore

ABUJA (NGR) - LAUSANNE (SUI) FIG Office, February 15, 2010: Morocco shall, from May 9 – 15, 2010, play host to the maiden edition of the African Youth Games. This announcement was made recently at the Atlas Hotel, Casablanca, precisely on Wednesday February 3, 2010, during the official signing ceremony of an agreement to this effect. The official agreement was signed by three parties: the Moroccan government represented by Youth and Sports Minister, His Excellency Moncef Belkhayat, the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa represented by President Lassana Palenfo, and NOC Morocco represented by its first Vice President, Mr. Kamal Lahlou.

The African Youth Games have come to replace the ANOCA Zone Games. Following the success of the latter, which were organised in the various ANOCA Development Zones, President Palenfo thought it wise to innovate, giving the games a continental dimension by organising them at the same venue and period.

The event aims, among others, to foster such Olympic values like peace, tolerance, solidarity and fraternity among Africans through sport, bring together Africa’s sporting youths aged 15 to 17 to celebrate excellence and prepare them for world class competitions.
This maiden edition shall feature a good number of sports disciplines: athletics, rowing, basketball (3 vs 3), boxing, cycling, fencing, football, gymnastics, judo, wrestling, swimming, taekwondo, tennis and table tennis.

Sport - Education - Culture

Besides the sporting aspect, the African Youth Games are also meant to be a major educational and cultural jamboree. As a matter of fact, they shall also feature educational programmes that bear on Olympic values, as well as initiatives aimed at promoting health and social cohesion, and checking doping, racism and violence.

Three venues, namely Rabat, Casablanca and Salé, have already been earmarked to host this Olympic festival, which is expected to bring together 1200 athletes from 53 NOCs. This maiden edition of the African Youth Games shall be celebrated barely three months before the Youth Olympic Games billed for Singapore in August 2010. They shall thus afford African NOCs an excellent opportunity to prepare their athletes for this world class event.

Reacting to the signing of the protocol agreement in Casablanca, the President of ANOCA, General Lassana Palenfo, underscored that the African Youth Games shall use sport as a tool to foster friendship, unity and peace among nations of the continent.

2nd Youth Olympic Games 2014

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, February 11, 2010: On February 10, the International Olympic Committee elected Nanjing (CHN), as the host city of the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2014 during the 122nd IOC Session in Vancouver (CAN). Nanjing received 47 votes to edge out runner-up Poznan, Poland, which received 42 votes. Last month Guadalajara (MEX) withdrew from the race.

All the international Gymnastics Community congratulates China and Nanjing and is looking forward to sharing the spirit of the Youth Olympic Games, in a City that is remembered for having hosted the FIG Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships in 2006.

The spirit of the Youth Olympic Games

The IOC established the Youth Olympics in an effort to shore up dwindling support for the Games among younger people and to fight obesity among teenagers. Some 3,600 athletes ranging in ages from 15 to 18 are expected to compete at the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2014, which will feature competitions in 26 sports.

The Youth Olympic Games are the culmination of the IOC’s determination to reach out to young people. Far more than merely being about competition, the Games are also a platform on which young people can learn about the Olympic values and the benefits of sport, while
The first Youth Olympic Games will be held in August this year in Singapore. The first Winter edition will be held in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012.

IOC Press Release

Visit of the FIG Athletes' Commission

LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Head Office, February 8, 2010: It is with these words that IOC President Jacques Rogge welcomed on January 28 the six gymnasts making up the new FIG Athletes’ Commission. He went on to say “important and empowered to set an example and to be keen to disseminate it around you in your own disciplines”.

Senior Manager of the IOC Sports Department in charge of the relations with the International Federations, Pierre Ducrey commented on the important role of the Athletes’ Commission within the Olympic Movement and on the responsibilities of their members in terms of development and education.

It was the first meeting of the FIG Athletes' Commission of current cycle 2009-2012 and also their first visit to the FIG Head Office in Lausanne. After the welcoming words by Vice-President Slava Corn (CAN), Secretary General André Gueisbuhler spoke at length on the statutory duties and commitments which will be the Commission’s during the coming weeks. Technical Regulations, gymnasts’ licenses, prize money, training and competition conditions, fight against doping were the highlights of the day which culminated in the election of the Finn Jani Tanskanen to the Commission’s presidency.

A former World Champion at the horizontal bar, he will speak on behalf of all the gymnasts and will therefore join the FIG Executive Committee and the FIG Council, a body where he will have the right of vote.

The FIG Athletes’ Commission was set up in 1999 during the extraordinary Congress in Tianjin (CHN). It started to work in 2000 and is drawing everybody’s attention, in particular the attention of FIG President Bruno Grandi (ITA) a former gymnast himself. “We all bear a cultural responsibility towards our gymnasts. We exist because they exist. Our destinies are linked ! » repeatedly said the Federation boss.

This visit in Lausanne to the IOC and FIG head offices was an opportunity for the Athletes’ Commission new members to get used to the administrative surroundings and to the spirit which spurs both institutions.

Lausanne (SUI) FIG Office, February 04, 2010. CCA/phs

Dear FIG Affiliated Gymnastics Federations,

We have the pleasure to inform you that the apparatus supplied for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore next August will be as attached. 
We remain at your disposal for any query you may have.

Thank you for your attention and kind regards.

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE
Céline Cachemaille, Sports Event Manager.