21st Congress of UEG: Dimitropoulos re-elected!

UEG Congress

40 federations with 105 delegates have participated in the first day's debates of the 21st UEG General Assembly, which is held in the International Convention Centre of Birmingham. The whole day was fully dedicated to statutory matters, as the elections and honorary distinctions are scheduled on Saturday. The reports, accounts, budgets 2005 and 2006 as well as all the UEG proposals were approved almost unanimously by the delegates....

First Day's Report
- by Vera Atkinson / Baga

Following a short and stylish piece of dance, symbolising the traditions of the UK’s home countries, the President of the UEG Dimitrios Dimitropulos opened the Congress and gave the floor for Welcoming messages, to the President of British Gymnastics Brian Stocks, Lord Mayor of Birmingham Cllr. John Hood and the President of the FIG, Prof. Bruno Grandi. Highlights of Prof. Bruno Grandi’s first address to the delegates for the day, were: the role of Gymnastics for All as “the mother of all sports” and the place of High Performance within gymnastics, today; the significance of the new International Code of Points in Artistic Gymnastics which will be introduced next year and the FIG Academies.

Some of the key points of the Congress Agenda were as follows:
• Admission of Malta as the 47th member of the UEG

• Technical Presidents Reports which all put the accent on their Development programmes – coaches education and young performers progress - (Gianfranco Marzolla (MAG), Marie-Paul Hoffmann (WTC), Heide Bruneder (RG), Erik Juhl Mogensen (TRA), Jeannette Hausler (GG), Laurie Colton (ACRO), Fernanda Marta (AER) and Stefan Bengtsson (TeamGym). It was good to learn that the Terenia (ITA) training base of the UEG is to be renovated for high level performance.

• Financial Matters and Planning of the Union. Walter Nyffeler showed how with his banking background he had solidly influenced the secure financial position which the UEG now enjoys. His presentations were highly professional, but easily understood.

Following this, Prof. Bruno Grandi presented his second address to the delegates developing further his thoughts on collaboration between the international governing bodies (FIG and the Continental Unions).
His also spoke about the necessity for Justice and correctness in the process of taking decisions and in Judging across all disciplines, levels and events.
He spoke about the early years of the UEG when only 15 nations were members. Prof. Grandi described how success always comes from adversity and named Pierre Chabloz the founding President “a monument of the UEG”.
He praised the Technical Development Projects proposed by the European Union to the FIG and development of Training Centres, Training Camps, and Educational programmes which has already been initiated.
“Working towards increasing the Gymnastics knowledge and culture around the world is one of our top priorities”, said Grandi, 'adding to this, the importance of the development of the sport across all continents and last, but not least , keeping its image of Gymnastics through justice”.

In the Friday's afternoon session of the Congress the General Assembly voted either unanimously, or by a large majority to accept the proposals made by the Authorities of the UEG.

These issues were making TeamGym an official Technical Committee:
• giving all TCs the right to have 7 members (except TeamGym, which has 5);
• supporting the new competition format of the European Championships, which will improve the year planning for coaches and gymnasts, as well as the International Authorities;
• ending European Cup Club events in Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline Gymnastics;
• accepting the new recommendations for Age Group regulations for Acrobatics and Aerobic Gymnastics and the Technical regulations for TeamGym.

With these issues concluded, the floor was given to the President of the UEG Dimitropoulos for his closing remarks. He talked convincingly about the role of the UEG in world gymnastics indicating that of the 22 members of the FIG Authorities 16 were European.
Highlighting the aftermath of Athens- the Judging crisis, he stated that the first trial of the new Code of Points would be at the European Championships 2006. Only then would the gymnastics fraternity know if they had corrected the unacceptable issues with regard to judging.

Dimitropoulos spoke of the responsibilities of the UEG towards supporting and helping its member-federations and in this respect, he developed the theme of the importance of Marketing and the Media. He made it quite clear that the UEG would most definitely be “moving with the times”.
The second day (Saturday, September 10) brings the Elections of the new Authorities!
Report from Birmingham: Vera Atkinson, Baga

President D. Dimitropoulos, re-elected

Second Day's Report, Sep 10, 2005

Paul Garber (GBR) elected European Vice President
- by Vera Atkinson / Baga -

Dimitrios Dimitropoulos (GRE) was re-elected as the President of the UEG with an absolute majority of 39 votes, at the European Gymnastics Congress in Birmingham, on Saturday, 10th September 2005.

'I didn’t expect such a big number of votes, but the result shows that I have done my work well over the last two years', said Dimitropulos.

Paul Garber (GBR), new Vice-president

'I would like to assure Congress that I and the UEG are standing firmly behind the FIG and its leader Bruno Grandi', continued Dimitropoulos before handing a symbolic present (a pen), to the President of the FIG Bruno Grandi while humorously stating '... this is for signing grant-cheques!'

<< Paul Garber (GBR) received the majority of the votes (28) in the first round of the elections for the three Vice-Presidents.
The former Vice-President George GuelzecAndras Szabo received the majority of the votes (17 and 15 respectively) in the second round.

The newly elected members of the Executive Committee are as follows:
1. Sylvio Kroll (GER)- 28 votes (1st round)
2. Mrs. Malin Eggertz Forsmark (SWE)- 25 (1st round)
3. Rudolf Hediger (SUI)- 24 (1st round)
4. Manuel Boa de Jesus (POR) - 21 votes ( 2nd round)
5. Metin Sayin (TUR) - 20 ( 2nd round)
6. Antonio Esteban (ESP) - 18 ( 2nd round)
7. Igor Korobchynskyi (URK) - 18 ( 2nd round)

The General Assembly elected the following Technical Committees Presidents:
1. Marie-Paul Hoffmann (LUX)- Women’s Artistic Gymnastics TC
2. Gianfranco Marzolla (ITA)- Men’s Artistic Gymnastics TC
3. Heide Bruneder (AUS)- Rhythmic Gymnastics TC
4. Juhl Mogensen (DEN)-Trampoline TC Lawrence Colton (GBR) - Acrobatic Gymnastics TC
6. Maria Cristina Casentini (ITA)- Aerobic Gymnastics TC
7. Detlef Mann (GER)-General Gymnastics TC
8. Stefan Bengtsson (SWE) - (new !) TeamGym TC, and
.... Ivan Levak (SLO) is the new Control Authority President

GYMmedia Service:
>> Download the Election, TC presidents // >> Election: TC members pdf-download)

Remembering:
>> ... to the 20th UEG Congress, October 2003 in Vienna.

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