FéDéRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE
FIG International Press Review – Nov 29 – Dec 5, 2008
GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics: Another International competition by Gymstars
December 5, 2008 (The Malta Independent): Gymstars Gymnastics Club of Tarxien will close this year's sporting calendar by holding another international competition on Saturday and Sunday, 13th and 14th December, 2008 at the club in Tarxien.
For this event, besides having the best local talent in this sport coming mainly from Gymstars and one athlete from ISC, there will also be some athletes of high level standard coming from different clubs from England and Belgium.
Cirque du Soleil's "Saltimbanco" soars into Ford Center
December 4, 2008 (News OK): Eerie masked frolickers gambol, a flame-haired songstress yowls tunefully in an unearthly language, and a series of performers execute jaw-dropping deeds of human physicality in Cirque du Soleil’s “Saltimbanco.”
Swiss founder of European Gymnastics Union dies
LAUSANNE (SUI), December 4, 2008 (International Herald Tribune): Pierre Chabloz, founder of the European Gymnastics Union and former secretary general of the Swiss Olympic Committee, died Thursday. He was 91. Chabloz was hospitalized for several weeks with an unspecified illness. The Web sites of the International Gymnastics Federation, UEG and Swiss Olympic Committee announced his death.
NGF leader honoured
December 3, 2008 (Republikein): During an international ceremony, the Federation of International Gymnastics honoured the president of the Namibia Gymnastics Federation, Mrs. Vallereis Geldenhuys, for 8 years of dedicated services to gymnastics.
Mrs. Geldenhuys is presently at the coast to support the NGF during the hosting of the Zone 6 competition and the African Championships. Both these competitions will be held in the Indoor Sport Complex, Jan Wilken Stadion, Walvis Bay.
Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin has cameo on 'Gossip Girl'
December 3, 2008 (New York Daily News): Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin traded in her leotard for a floor length white gown to attend the Snowflake Ball on “Gossip Girl” last night.
Young gymnasts risking a life of pain in quest for perfection
December 1, 2008 (Times Online): Young gymnasts striving for perfect handsprings, somersaults and headstands are risking injuries or arthritis because of the stress placed on their bones, a report suggests. A study of X-rays and bone scans of athletes in the US aged 12-16 showed they were suffering damage to their joints that could cause painful problems in later life.
Azerbaijani Gymnast Gains Medal in Croatia
December 1, 2008 (Trend News): Azerbaijan gymnast Zeynab Javadli got silver at the international tournament taken place in Croatia. A 17-year old Baku sportswoman took the second place performing the exercises with a skipping-rope, a hoop, a club and a ribbon and got 63.635 points. The winner became the Russian gymnast Vera Sesina, the Croat gymnast Anna Maria Zjelimorski got bronze.
Ostapenko Back in Ukraine
November 30, 2008 (International Gymnast): After seven years in Brazil, coach Oleg Ostapenko will return to work in January with the Ukrainian women's national team. "Oleg Ostapenko has returned to Ukraine — this is the first step of the return of our best people," said Ukrainian men's head coach Igor Korobchinsky. Ostapenko was the head coach of the Ukrainian women at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games, as well as the personal coach of Ukrainian standouts Tatiana Lysenko, Natalia Kalinina and Viktoria Karpenko.
Thailand to host first Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships
DOHA (QAT), November 29, 2008 (Xinhua): Thailand will host the first ever Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships at Fashion Island, Bangkok, from December 5 - 7, the Asian Gymnastics Union (AGU) released here on Saturday. Aerobic Gymnastics is a top-level competitive discipline that presents dynamic moves, strength, flexibility, co-ordination and musical selections in a routine. The discipline is not yet widely known in the Asia.
China names Olympic champions for gymnastics World Cup Final
BEIJING (CHN), November 29, 2008 (Xinhua): China picked up a Beijing Olympics-based women squad on Saturday for the gymnastics World Cup Final next month in Madrid. China gymnastics administration center announced the participation of Cheng Fei, Yang Yiling, Li Shanshan, He Kexin andJiang Yuyan in Madrid's Women's competitions and Zhang Hongtao in Men's.
Read more … and even more!
Hawaii Beat - Vercruyssen to represent U.S.
November 29, 2008 (Star Bulletin): Hawaii trampoline gymnast Nani Vercruyssen is one of four gymnasts to represent the United States in the Pan American Championships to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Gymnastics Movement for People with Disabilities (GMPD)
November 28, 2008 (Gymmedia): One of the very interesting parts of the 48th anniversary of the Blume Gran Canaria Festival is a very special training camp, organized by the British Gymnastics Federation (BG), specially for disabled persons. As host of the next Olympic Games, London 2012, Great Britain will ensure participants in sport at all levels, from beginner to elite will benefit including those with disabilities.
SPORTS WORLD
IOC Teams Up With Cole & Weber For Youth Drive
December 3, 2008: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has appointed Seattle based firm, Cole & Weber, in a global, creative and media planning capacity. Cole & Weber’s work with the IOC will focus on promoting the Olympic movement to the key 12-19-year-old demographic.
Delhi will host 2010 Commonwealth Games: Fennel
NEW DELHI (IND), December 3, 2008 (The Times of India): The Commonwealth Games Federation reaffirmed that Delhi will host the 2010 edition of the sporting extravaganza and scotched rumours that an alternative venue was being considered in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai.
CGF President Michael Fennel, in a statement, conveyed his deepest sympathy to the victims of the Mumbai attacks and dismissed media reports that the federation was looking for a stand-by venue.
Read more … and see also International Herald Tribune
IOC rejects EBU bid for 2014-16 Olympic Games rights
December 3, 2008 (Sportbusiness International): The International Olympic Committee has rejected the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) bid for the European broadcast rights for the Olympics Games 2014-2016.
In a statement to the press, EBU President Fritz Pleitgen, said: “We very much regret the decision of the IOC. We have worked with the IOC since 1956 to deliver the Olympic Games to the broadest possible audience, and ensured maximum exposure of the Olympic Games, and also Olympic Sports between the Games … “
Sport-CAS oversees record number of cases in 2008
LAUSANNE (SUI), December 2, 2008 (Reuters): The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) heard a record number of appeals in 2008, and expects the new anti-doping code to bring even more litigation in 2009, officials said on Tuesday. Nearly 300 appeals were filed at the highest judicial body for sporting disputes this year.
IOC Seeks Bidders For 2014 Youth Olympic Games
December 1, 2008 (The Sport Briefing): The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has fired the starting gun on the bid process for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games. The IOC last week sent a letter to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) informing them of the procedure and documentation available for cities interested in bidding for the second edition of the Summer Games.
WADA cites 5 sports for falling short on testing
November 28, 2008 (International Herald Tribune): Gymnastics, wrestling and volleyball were among five Olympic sports cited by the World Anti-Doping Agency for failing to implement consistent out-of-competition testing programs. Handball and modern pentathlon were also described as falling short in complying with the World Anti-Doping Code, which was approved in 2003 and sets out drug-testing rules across all sports and countries.
Read more … and see also USA Today, The China Post, Saudi Gazette, Daily Times
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