FéDéRATION INTERNATIONALE DE  GYMNASTIQUE
* Press Review 2008 ...

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December 06 - 12

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GYMNASTICS
Brazilian Federation Aims to 'Clean Up' Sport's Image December 9, 2008 (International Gymnast): The Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation needs to work on cleaning up the sport's image after its post-Olympic scandals, said new president Maria Luciene. Luciene was elected president of the BGC on Sunday, taking over the post held by Vicélia Florenzano since 1991. Luciene, president of Sergipe Gymnastics Federation and vice president of the BGC, defeated Marco Martins, president of the Brasilia Gymnastics Federation, by 13 votes to five. >> Read more …
Focus on gymnast safety December 8, 2008 (GYMmedia): The FIG Apparatus Commission gathered on November 29-30 at the FIG Head Office for its second meeting in 2008. President of the Commission Nicolae Vieru (ROU) and his colleagues Jvan Weber (SUI) and Ludwig Schweizer (GER) met with apparatus manufacturer representatives Hiro Hirabayashi (Senoh) and Jay Ashmore (AAI) to focuse their attention on gymnast safety, a topic on last weekend’s agenda.  >> Read more …
Vidmar elected chairman of USA Gymnastics board INDIANAPOLIS (USA), December 8, 2008 (International Herald Tribune): Olympic gold medalist Peter Vidmar was elected chairman of the USA Gymnastics board of directors Monday, and will be joined in the group by 1984 all-around champion Mary Lou Retton. Vidmar and Retton, elected to one of four public sector positions on the board, each will serve four-year terms. Ron Froelich, chair of USA Gymnastics, was named chairman emeritus. >> Read more …
All-round support for determined girl December 8, 2008 (Times of Malta): Peppijna Dalli's slight frame belies an uncanny strength, best displayed when she whirls her petite physique and supple limbs around a bar with apparent ease and no fear whatsoever. After completing a series of stunts that see the 10-year-old gymnast looping in the air and landing neatly on a narrow strip, she folds her arms and her toned muscles protrude. >> Read more …
National gymnastics inaugurated December 8, 2008 (The Hindu): The 22nd National sub-junior gymnastics championship was formally inaugurated by the Kerala Sports Minister, M. Vijayakumar at a simple yet colourful ceremony at the Jimmy George indoor stadium here on Sunday. Mr.Vijayakumar emphasised the role of gymnastics in the overall development of sporting excellence in the country and hoped that the participants would in the coming years bring laurels to the country. >>  Read more …
Käslin Named Swiss Sportswoman of the Year December 7, 2008 (International Gymnast): Featured in the December issue of IG Magazine, 2008 Olympic vault finalist Ariella Käslin was named Swiss Sportswoman of the Year at ceremonies held Saturday in Basel. Käslin, the first gymnast to win the award, was honored at St. Jakobshalle in the contest sponsored by Credit Suisse. Finishing behind Käslin in the voting were figure skater Sarah Meier, track-and-field athlete Karin Thueng, snowboarder Manuela Pesko and swimmer Flavia Rigamonti. >> Read more …
Canada wins three team gold medals at Pan Am trampoline championships BUENOS AIRES (ARG), December 6, 2008 (Yahoo! Canada Sports): Olympic medallist Jason Burnett of Toronto helped Canada to the gold medal in the men’s trampoline team competition on Saturday at the Pan American trampoline and tumbling championships. Julie Warnock of Calgary also had a big day leading Canada to gold in both the women’s tumbling and women’s double mini trampoline team events. >> Read more …
Interview: Stella Zakharova (UKR) December 6, 2008 (International Gymnast): Olympic champion Stella Zakharova tells IG her side of the conflict with the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation that has embroiled her annual tournament. Zakharova, a world championship, World Cup and Olympic gold medalist, received a letter in November that the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation would not sanction the eighth edition of the international Stella Zakharova Cup, scheduled for February 2009. >> Read more …
Chinese gymnastics men's team groom reserves for future Olympics BEIJING (CHN), December 5, 2008 (Xinhua): After receiving a standing ovation at the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese gymnastics men's team have started to prepare teenage reserves for the London Games and even the 2016 Games. Huang Yubin, head coach of the Chinese gymnastics team, revealed to local newspaper on Friday that ten teenage gymnasts have been selected as early as in the end of 2007 for the next two Games. >>  Read more …
SPORTS WORLD
Sports competitions programme and qualification systems for the 1st YOG in 2010 December 10, 2008 (IOC): The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved today the sports competitions programme for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to be held in Singapore in 2010, as well as the qualification system for each event. >> Read more …
German Cities Confirm World Games Withdrawal December 10, 2008 (GYMmedia): The German cities of Duisburg and Duesseldorf have confirmed their withdrawal as co-hosts of the 2013 World Games. The joint-decision - which has been sparked by “Duisburg’s aggravated financial problems” - has left International World Games Association (IWGA) president Ron Froehlich on the look-out for a new host. >>  Read more …
Beijing Games Smash Broadcast Records For IPC December 10, 2008 (The Sport Briefing): International Paralympic Committee (IPC) chief executive officer Xavier Gonzalez has hailed broadcasting figures from the 2008 Paralympic Games, as the event set several new benchmarks. The IPC has reported that the Beijing Games saw the largest cumulated TV audience in its history with more than 3.8 billion people in 38 monitored countries watching the action unfold in the Chinese city during more than 1,800 hours broadcast. >> Read more …
IOC to re-examine Beijing samples December 9, 2008 (BBC Sport): The International Olympic Committee has revealed it will retest 5,000 doping samples from the Beijing Games to check for traces of a new blood-booster drug. The IOC said its doping lab in Switzerland would be specifically testing for Cera, an advanced version of endurance-enhancing hormone EPO. >> Read more … and see also Guardian, NZ Herald
Security Is A "Difficult Budget" For 2012 Games, Claims Oswald December 8, 2008: Denis Oswald, the chairman of the International Olympic Committee's co-ordination commission for the London 2012 Olympics, has admitted the security budget for the Games has “rocketed” in comparison to previous events. According to the Daily Telegraph, the budget for security provisions was increased a year ago, with an additional £238 million contingency fund being added to £600 million that had already been set aside. > > Read more …