FéDéRATION INTERNATIONALE DE GYMNASTIQUE
FIG International Press Review – November 15 – 21, 2008
GYMNASTICS
Ukrainian Gymnasts Ask Stella Zakharova to Drop Conflict
November 20, 2008 (International Gymnast): A group of Ukrainian gymnasts and coaches has sent a letter to former federation president Stella Zakharova, asking her to drop her public conflict with the federation. The letter asked Zakharova, a member of the gold-medal Soviet team at the 1980 Olympic Games, to stop her "aggressive" campaign against the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation.
USA Gymnastics hears no complaints about Karolyis
November 20, 2008 (Associated Press): USA Gymnastics has never received a complaint about Bela or Martha Karolyi in the nearly 30 years they have been coaching in the United States, the governing body said Wednesday, a day after a Romanian gymnast alleged the two had abused her.
Trudi Eberle Kollar, a double silver medalist at the 1980 Olympics, said the Karolyis hit her when she was at the Romanian national training center in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Karolyis coached the Romanian team before they defected to the United States in 1981.
"USA Gymnastics has not received a complaint concerning their conduct from an athlete or parent," USA Gymnastics said in a statement.
Read more … and see also International Herald Tribune
Karolyi eyeing a career change
November 19, 2008 (Houston Chronicle): Even as he faces renewed allegations that he was physically abusive to gymnasts during the 1970s, Bela Karolyi said Wednesday he is a candidate for legislative office in his native Romania.
Karolyi, 66, said he will be on the ballot in Romania’s Nov. 30 election to become a member of national Senate as a representative of Romanian citizens living in the Americas, Australia and Africa.
Preview: 48th Blume Gran Canaria 2008 and Opening of 2009 Golden Age Gym Festival
November 18, 2008 (Gymmedia International): This year’s 48th anniversary of Blume Gran Canaria, in memory of the big Spanish gymnast Joaquim BLUME, who was killed in an accident at the end of the Fifties of the last century, will follow a special ouverture …
One week before the UEG organised its first official "Golden Age Gym Festival' from November 15 - to 21, which was opened with a colorfully parade of nearly 1.800 active participants at the age of "50+", representing 22 different nations.
Winners of Azerbaijan and Baku Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup Defined
BAKU (AZE), November 17, 2008 (TrendNews): The 15th championship of Azerbaijan and city championship on rhythmic gymnastics turned out to be record for a number of participants. Seven young gymnasts from Ganja, who performed in four age groups, competed with 85 capital gymnasts.
Iran comes in 5th in Art Gymnastics Asian tourney
TEHRAN (IRI), November 17, 2008 (Tehran Times): Iran has finished in fifth place in the 4th Art Gymnastics Asian Championships now underway in Doha, capital of Qatar. Iran snatched 335.1 points and ranked fifth for the first time in the history of the event. Japan won the championship, scoring 356.2 points followed by South Korea with 348.8, North Korea with 341.5 and Kazakhstan with 339.85 respectively.
Brissy gymnasts 'Bring It On'
November 16, 2008 (Brisbane Times): Hundreds of young gymnasts, cheerleaders and dancers tackled scorching temperatures to show off their skills and encourage kids to get involved in their sports from a young age at the Bring It On Brisbane event.
Beijing 2008 Olympian Sam Simpson attended the event and said he started at three-years-old and believes that gymnastics is a sport which can help kids in every stage of the development and their life.
Chinese Snag Seven DTB Titles
November 15, 2008 (International Gymnast): Chinese gymnasts cruised to seven of 10 titles on Saturday in the finals of the DTB Cup in Stuttgart, Germany. The Chinese women swept the competitition, with world and Olympic champion Cheng Fei winning three golds. As in qualifications, the 20-year-old star was untouchable on vault (Yurchenko double full and layout Podkopayeva), balance beam and floor exercise.
World Cup: 26th DTB-Pokal
November 15, 2008 (Gymmedia): Around hundred gymnasts, representing 35 nations took part at the 26th DTB-Pokal 2008, a world cup event (category A), which was held in the PORSCHE arena of Stuttgart, Germany. After the Friday's women's qualification the men's rounds followed in the afternoon.
Japanese Dominate Toyota Cup
November 15, 2008 (International Gymnast): The Toyota Cup, the successor to Japan's traditional Chunichi Cup, began Saturday in Toyota. A small field of 26 gymnasts nevertheless attracted an audience of 4,000 to the Toyota Sky Hall.
Japan's top team was present, and did not disappoint the crowd, with titles for Makamoto Okiguchi on floor exercise and Takuya Nakase on still rings. Keiko Mukumoto won both women's vault and uneven bars in a slim field.
Bela uncorked: kill the scoring system, not the sport
November 14, 2008 (Chicago Tribune): Bela Karolyi blew into Chicago Thursday, bringing his usual over-the-top enthusiasm, so infectious everyone gets his message even if the iconic gymnastics coach who fled Romania 27 years ago still speaks so breathlessly and with such a heavy accent his words need to be translated from English to English.
SPORTS WORLD
Venues for 2012 Olympic Games to move
November 20, 2008 (Sport Business International): Organisers of the 2012 Olympic Games have opted against moving the venues for the basketball and equestrian competitions, but may move those for badminton, handball and rhythmic gymnastics.
According to UK press reports, organisers have decided to go ahead with a 12,000-seater, £60 million temporary arena for basketball in the main Olympic Park. Equestrianism will stay at Greenwich Park after a review by accountants KPMG said no saving would be made by moving.
But changing the other venues could result in savings worth £40 million.
GAISF Federations Make 2016 Games Presentations
November 19, 2008 (AGFIS – Sport Insider): Seven International Federations, including six that are under the General Association of International Sports Federations umbrella, made their cases to be included on the programme for the 2016 Olympic Games on Friday with presentations before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland. With two available slots on the 2016 schedule, leaders of baseball, softball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby and squash were on hand to promote their sports.
A final decision on which sports will be included will be made by the IOC at its Congress in the Danish city of Copenhagen in October next year.
Downturn could offer sporting opportunity
November 19, 2008 (Sport Business International): One of the world’s leading sport business experts, Professor Simon Chadwick, says the economic downturn will throw the spotlight on how sport is run as an industry, pushing sports to innovate.
Speaking at the launch of Weber Shandwick Sport - the new UK sports practice of global public relations agency Weber Shandwick - Chadwick said: "In some ways, the downturn is not just a challenge, but also an opportunity for the smartest sports, teams, companies and investors. It is forcing us to examine how things can be better run, better managed and better organised, for a brighter future for sport."
IOC Optimistic Despite Sponsor's Withdrawal
November 18, 2008 (The Sport Briefing): The International Olympic Committee (IOC) remains hopeful of signing up at least one more TOP sponsor for the next four years after Johnson & Johnson confirmed it would not be renewing its commercial partnership. The US health care product manufacturer has opted not to extend its worldwide Olympic deal beyond the end of 2008, and the IOC is now looking to sign up more partners to push revenues above US$1 billion.
Rio Hoping Desire For "Change" Will Lift 2016 Bid
November 18, 2008 (The Sport Briefing): Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential election may have been seen as a huge boost for Chicago's hopes of winning the bid for the 2016 Olympics, but rival Rio de Janeiro is hoping the same mood for change will swing the contest its way. The Brazilian city, which is up against the Japanese city of Tokyo and Madrid in Spain as well as Obama’s home town, is pushing the message that the Olympic Movement should deliver the Games to South America for the first time.
Tokyo 2016 launches ‘Olympics for All’ campaign
November 14, 2008 (Sport Business): Tokyo 2016 is celebrating the latest set of events in its ‘Olympics for All’ roadshow series, which have been uniting young and old with sport and the Olympic movement for over a year. Under the program, Olympic athletes will share their experiences with a nation of passionate Tokyo 2016 supporters in a variety of locations, including schools and workplaces. So far showcases have been held at more than 30 locations. During November, seven events will be staged, with more thereafter.
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