Skip to main content

FIG news - letter from President Bruno Grandi 2nd May 2011

Somewhat belatedly, I've been reading President Grandi's latest letter dated 2nd May 2011.

It's difficult to understand why this letter has been presented at this time - what has prompted this?  Why does Grandi suddenly consider it imperative to change a Code which encompassed so many changes he himself initiated?  The letter is wordy and cloaked in flowery declarations, but makes two key points - (i) the Code needs simplification, and, (ii) crucially, he finally acknowledges that objectivity is an inappropriate principle in the judgement of an artistic sport.

Many of us would agree with this, but the letter has received a somewhat muted response in the media - some links are provided below.  Problem is, the Code, competition formats and so on seem to change so regularly it's difficult to keep track, and the changes rarely lead to much, if any, improvement.  Furthermore, Grandi's letters don't really amount to much.   On a practical level, he does not set out a timeframe within which to address these problems.  He provides no action plan.  He doesn't say who will be responsible for nursing any changes through, and who will be consulted. 

I would suggest that this lack of clarity, and our somewhat bewildered response to it, allows Grandi to continue his 'top down' management changes and to exercise an inappropriate degree of control over the sport.   The process of change lacks transparency, and the FIG is not fully answerable for the consequences of any changes made.  Nor does it apparently consult its stakeholders.

Grandi talks of the need to simplify the Code but does not analyse the reasons why it has become so overcomplicated.  Technical experts will refer to the rapid and continuous development of the sport over decades, and of course this is an important point.  Failures to edit the Code thoroughly and manage different versions consistently have also led to serious errors: for example at last year's Worlds, where the Russian coaches were referring to a Quick Guide to the Code which had not been updated, leading them to lose medals. 

Grandi's acknowledgement of the subjective nature of gymnastics' judging also leads me to point to the linguistic and semiotic complexity of sharing a Code even amongst communities who speak the same mother tongue.  Discussions of gymnastics are fraught with ambiguity and contradiction.  The various value-laden assumptions as to the identity of the sport today have not even begun to be articulated.  In a multi-cultural, multi-lingual sporting community, within a complex technical framework that relies on judgement, this is critical.  Quite often we are speaking at cross purposes. 

What do these words mean to you?

Harmonious
Choreography
Performance
Execution
Amplitude
Artistry
Expression
Difficulty

Just a small sample of key concepts important to gymnastics, picked from the air.  I dare bet a significant number of equally valid definitions could be developed for each of them.  Translate them into another language, and you would find another layer of meaning.

Simplifying the Code will never work until we can find a common language that reflects the rich cultural significance of gymnastics, as well as the technicalities of the sport.  One of the first jobs Grandi should task is the development of an internationally agreed, fully representative lexicography of key terms.


Further reading :

Rewriting Russian Gymnastics, 13th October 2010 Can judging ever be objective?
Rewriting Russian Gymnastics, 29th October 2010 Evaluating the artistic: ambiguity and the FIG
Gymnastics Examiner (Blythe Lawrence), 1st May 2011 Bruno Grandi: 'the Code has mutated into a time bomb'
International Gymnastics (Amanda Turner), 1st May 2011 Grandi calls Code of Points 'a time bomb'
Gymnastics Coaching, 1st May 2011 Grandi: Code mutated to a time bomb

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

‘We all love her very much’ - Roschina speaks of Mustafina and the need to perfect an Amanar vault

From sport.ru via vk.com.  Google translate  A big interview with Anastasia Loginova from Sport24 with Lyudmila Roshchina following the Strongest Cup, where the gymnast won four out of five gold medals. We quote several fragments, the full version is available on the publication's website, link at the end. ❓ The Strongest Athletes Cup has recently ended. Did you have time to analyze your performances? 💬 I just rewatched the broadcast, looked at my shortcomings. ❓ Did you set a medal plan for this start? 💬 I didn't think about it. Only that I needed to do my program - and then what will happen. ❓ Did you have time to discuss the competition with your coach? 💬 She praised me, said that I was great. She didn't scold me for mistakes on the beam - on the contrary, she supported me. ❓ Can we say that the beam is your weak spot? This is the only final you didn't get to. 💬 Probably yes. I have this apparatus that is a bit unpolished, so to speak. Treacherous. I need to work...

FIG to reconsider refused applications for neutral status

PLEASE NOTE: statement from the FIG website is below. Source : RGF. Google translate The FIG Executive Committee has revised the rules for admitting Russian athletes as neutrals A meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on July 9 and 10. Following its results, the rules for obtaining neutral status by athletes from Russia were revised. According to the updated rules: – Russian athletes will be able to compete under the auspices of FIG not only in individual, but also in group and team disciplines. – Athletes who were previously denied neutral status will have the right to have their applications reconsidered. – New criteria for considering applications have been introduced and FIG clarifications to the updated rules have been approved — this should increase the objectivity of the admission procedure, eliminating cases of unjustified refusals. The President of the Russian Gymnastics Federation Oleg Belozerov ...

AA Champion Liudmilla Roschina targets Olympic gold

  Liudmilla is the first gymnast of the new generation to win AA in the most important international competition in Russia.  The Krasnodar born gymnast was at one time said to be the favourite of head coach of the junior team, Aliya Mustafina.   Source: gymnastics group on VK.com.  Google translate Lyudmila Roshchina shone at the "Strongest Athletes Cup" in artistic gymnastics in Moscow.  🔝 The 17-year-old gymnast became the absolute champion in the all-around and in individual disciplines, winning the vault, parallel bars and floor exercises!  "I am very pleased. There were small mistakes, but they did not prevent me from showing a decent result. I liked the atmosphere of the competition, the full stands helped when I went out on the apparatus. I love all the apparatus, but especially the parallel bars. And, of course, it was interesting to test myself against foreign rivals. In September, the Russian Championship will be held, I want to perform there at ...

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more