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FIG Cuts Team Size Down to Five

Friday, May 30, 2008 By Amanda Turner
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FIG President Bruno Grandi

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has reduced the number of gymnasts on an Olympic team from six to five, the federation announced Friday.

The decision comes as part of the FIG's new Olympic qualification procedure, proposed by the Executive Committee and accepted by the FIG Council at its meeting last weekend in Cape Town, South Africa.

According to the FIG announcement:

  • "In the future, two events will serve as qualifying events: the world championships organised the year preceding the Olympic Games and pre-Olympic events.
  • The number of gymnasts in a team will be reduced from 6 to 5.
  • All medallists will be qualified for the Olympic Games."

An FIG spokesman clarified to IG that "all medalists" refers to gymnasts who wins medals at the World Championships in the year preceding the Olympic Games, and not those who win medals at the designated pre-Olympic events.

The FIG also has cancelled the biennial World Cup Final, last held in 2006. The federation has struggled to find a host for the World Cup Final on several occasions.

In addition, the FIG announced that as of Jan. 1, 2009, all gymnasts will need "licenses" to participate in international competition. The FIG will grant a license after receiving the gymnast's birthdate, biography and insurance information from the sponsoring federation.

"It's the responsibility of the national federation when registering the gymnast on the FIG [federation manager] Intranet," the spokesman said.

External Link: International Gymnastics Federation

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Comments (7 posted):

Renee3 on Friday, May 30, 2008
I am assuming the new five member rule will go into effect for the 2012 Games in London...

In any case, I can't express how much I dislike the FIG and their policies as a whole under the so-called "leadership" of Bruno Grandi. First the Code changes (nevermind the FIG didn't even address the real problem - judging), but now this! For the men especially, how are you supposed to compile an Olympic team with five guys when all-arounders are becoming increasingly rare by the day?
Does the FIG get pleasure from making it all the more difficult for elite athletes to participate in this sport or what?

For an organization that's supposedly looking out for the welfare of this sport, the FIG sure seems to be doing a good job of dismantling it piece by piece.
Hannah on Saturday, May 31, 2008
On the contrary, this new change might make the all-arounder more valuable again. Everyone misses the all around gymnast and complains that they have been taken out of the sport with the new 3 up in finals rules... but with fewer athletes on the team, it's more likely to include all arounders. Thus, the top 5 all around at trials are more likely to go. Also, there is no doubt that more nations are producing at least one or two medal contending gymnasts than ever (especially for the men) so, this will ensure that the best in the world compete at the Olympics. Also, with more competition to make the team, the level of exelence will rise withinn the top teams in the world. This is a good thing!
krell88 on Saturday, May 31, 2008
I remember when the FIG eliminated the Compulsory routines/competition in an effort to help smaller/younger/developing [in gymnastics] countries to be more competitive at the World and Olympic Level. Within the past few years, the rules that the FIG have employed seemingly only make it harder for these countries to compete at the level or Russian, US, Romania, China, etc.
kiohero on Sunday, June 01, 2008
Is it change that we despise so much? I hated the idea of the new Code and scoring system as did everyone else. Now, I find it fantastic and exciting. Still, I'd like to see these 5 gymnasts compete in both team competitions and allow for more all-around qualifiers than just 2 per country. Bring back the top 3 qualifiers per country again instead of the country itself deciding which 2 by only putting them on all events.
jkeoni20 on Tuesday, June 03, 2008
When I first read this, I was so against it. I'm still trying to figure out the New Code let alone another change. My thing is, with the number of members on a team being trimmed down and hopes of having good all arounders, where does that leave the event specialist? And that's assuming that they didn't medal on an event at worlds.
Mytrinitysong on Friday, June 06, 2008
The 3 up 3 count rule, and now this; is going to be a disaster for gymnastics.
Elaine on Saturday, June 07, 2008
Like Hannah, I think this may actually turn out to be a good change, in that it will likely increase the need for all-arounders, which is a good thing in my book. However, I think many other changes are required to save the sport from ruin, as well. For one thing, I'd really like to see a return to old-style AA finals, i.e. featuring 36 participants rather than 24, with up to three competitors per country rather than two. Having two competitors per country doesn't necessarily improve the level of the competition; I'm sure many of us would rather see China or Ukraine's No. 3 all-arounder in an AA final than, say, Japan or Sweden's No. 2. But the most important change that needs to be made, in my opinion, concerns the now ubiquitous fifth tumbling pass on floor. By all that is holy, FIG, ban floor routines featuring five tumbling passes. Not only are they far too tough on the gymnasts, but they do away with what little artistry the sport once had. A bit more focus on choreography and a bit less focus on difficulty would be much appreciated by many people, I'm sure. A new rule limiting the number of tumbling passes in one routine to three or four would go a long way to restoring the artistry of the sport, I think.

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