FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE
cultural education and personal development, as well as the value of their opinion on
technical aspects of the sport and their future development
integration into `normal' life after their sporting careers are over and the necessity of
protecting and maintaining their physical and mental well-being
If we want our sport to develop a more human face, much of the work needed as part of this
development must be identified and achieved with the assistance of the athletes themselves, as
they are the central protagonists.
It is a question of the athletes' maturity, and of their ability to develop an awareness of their role
during their careers and what lies ahead afterwards. All sports face these problems, but
gymnastics perhaps even more so, as the athletes start at an extremely young age.
We must enable our young athletes to reflect on the questions that concern them.
Olympic qualification
London 2012 has seen the organisation of a second Olympic qualification event for the first time.
This was a success, both on an organisational level and in terms of its popularity with the public.
I believe that introducing this second event made sense, and it is something that has been badly
needed in gymnastics for a very long time. Disregarding the controversies that will inevitably arise
in a sport that relies on judges, the rules will need to undergo a number of improvements to ensure
that events are as transparent as possible.
The second qualification event will require more refined rules to avoid any ambiguity regarding
eligibility: it will be open to athletes who have competed in at least one World Championship,
during which they have demonstrated real maturity and a sufficiently high level of technical ability
to be eligible for the second Olympic qualification event.
For the first time, the FIG televised the finals. This was a brand new venture, and the results were
impressive, thanks to the number of fans who were able to follow the event on YouTube.
As I have said, this was a first for us, and something we may no longer be able to do without. The
FIG provided the human and technical resources, and it was a success, with a million fans tuning
in to watch.
Academies
The academy initiative has been one of the strengths of the FIG programme. This project is based
on sound and proven technical and scientific knowledge.
The attempt to provide gymnastics with consistent cultural references worldwide was a strategic
decision taken with the aim of sharing not just scientific concepts, but also linguistic and
terminological ones.
No fewer than 25 academies have been organised each year, on all continents, from level one to
level three, and this method of exchanging information is increasingly valued by the participating
federations and technical experts.
I have always believed that scientific knowledge frees us from the chains of ignorance, and also
provides the independence needed to move away from an unfocused approach to training
techniques and towards the standardisation of psychological and educational guidelines;
ultimately, education is the only resource that empowers us with a knowledge and understanding
of what we do.
The three commissions the Scientific, Medical and Academies/Camps which are, of course, all
connected and interdependent, must strengthen their relationships with each other going forward.
This is nothing new: the history of national cultural development shows us that real progress only
occurs if we actively strive for it, and this is borne out in practice.
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FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE