Gymnastics played a trump card for its future last week at the European Games in Baku. For the first time in an international event, its different disciplines alternately shared the competition field. Also for the first time at such a level, artistic, rhythmic, acrobatic and aerobic gymnastics were brought together. A new format imagined by Georges Guelzec, the president of the European Gymnastics Union (UEG). At the time of the assessment, he answered questions from FrancsJeux.
FrancsJeux: What analysis do you make of this first experience of a competition format where the disciplines share the program and the competition site?
Georges Guelzec: The experience was very positive. We organized a meeting of representatives of the nations present in Baku. They were able to express themselves. The results are favorable. We're not bored anymore. Of course, some things need to be changed. The concept needs to be refined. But, in general opinion, the alternation of different disciplines during the same session is going in the right direction. This formula gives greater openness to the directors of the various UEG sports committees. In Baku, the Spaniards came to see me, even before the end of the events, to tell me that they had never had the opportunity to see, at the national level, acrobatic and aerobic gymnastics.
How is the idea perceived globally?
We will know soon, because the International Federation (FIG) had sent a representative of its athletes' commission to Baku. He spoke with the competitors, he collected opinions. His return should be positive.
For gymnastics, were the European Games in Baku a historic milestone?
They constituted a very important step in the construction of the gym of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. For the first time, we put our ideas into practice.
Can the new competition format tested in Baku, at European level, soon be extended to the whole world?
Initially, this formula will remain European. For the future, everything will depend on the next president of the FIG. As you know, I am a candidate to succeed Bruno Grandi at the head of the International Federation. If I am elected, I will first take the time to discuss with other continents. But, in the event of a favorable opinion, this new competition format could be implemented during the 2024-2028 Olympiad.
Patrick Hickey, president of the Association of European Olympic Committees (EOC), wants the next editions of the European Games to welcome the European champions of the different sports on the program. Are you in favor of this development?
It is not easy to answer categorically today. We must talk about it within the UEG and take all parameters into account. Television, in particular. We have a contract with the EBU, it provides for a certain number of European Championships during the Olympiad. We cannot ignore it and decide to organize these championships as part of the European Games. Furthermore, the FIG is currently setting up the qualification system for the Tokyo Games in 2020. We will have to take this into account before deciding on the gymnasium format for the European Games in 2019.
How does the election for FIG presidency, scheduled for next year, look?
To date, I am the only officially declared candidate. Japan's Morinari Watanabe is expected to join the race. I know he works there. But anything can happen until May 2016, the deadline for submitting applications.
Will Bruno Grandi, the current president, choose one of the candidates?
No, he doesn't want to get involved. I think that's very good.
Marius Vizer, the former president of SportAccord, recently proposed to the IOC that the presidents of the international federations of Olympic sports should all be members of the IOC. What do you think?
For national federations, the most important thing is not the IOC, but their own international federation, its president, its sports and media policy. I am not sure that it is necessarily important that the FI presidents are all members of the IOC. On the other hand, it would be good to schedule at least one meeting per year with the IOC.
