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![]() Farid Gayibov of Azerbaijan was elected president of the European Union of Gymnastics on Saturday at the 27th UEG Congress in Split, Croatia. Gayibov will succeed Georges Guelzec of France (pictured), who held the post for the past eight years. Farid Gayibov of Azerbaijan was elected president of the European Union of Gymnastics on Saturday at the 27th UEG Congress in Split, Croatia, attended by the 50 member federations of the UEG. Gayibov defeated Slovenia's Edvard Kolar, 28 votes to 20. Gayibov will become the fifth president of the UEG and will succeed Georges Guelzec of France, who held the post for the past eight years. Gayibov, who was elected Vice President of the UEG's Executive Committee four years ago, is the first Azerbaijani to become president of a European sports federation. He received congratulations from the president of Azerbaijan on being elected to his post, which he will begin January 1. "I will do my best," Gayibov told the Congress. "I think that I have enough experience to lead the UEG, but I cannot do it alone, it is not possible. That is why I need your help. I need your support. If the success comes, I'll work for Europe's benefit. Believe me, it does not matter where I am from, and what is my religion." ![]() Bulgaria's Maria Petrova was elected president of the UEG's Rhythmic Executive Committee. Gayibov, Secretary-General of the Azerbaijani Gymnastics Federation, has been working in gymnastics for 15 years. He has been the executive director of many gymnastics events held in Azerbaijan, which has invested considerably in its gymnastics program over the past few years. The capital city of Baku played host to the first European Games in 2015, as well as multiple World Cups, European championships and other international events in different gymnastics disciplines. In May, the UEG awarded the 2020 men's European championships to Baku. As vice president of the UEG, Gayibov was responsible for marketing and promoting the sport. He said his focus will be on attracting more partners and sponsors. "This year our partners from SmartScoring company did free scoring at rhythmic artistic, aerobic and acrobatic European championships," Gayibov said. "We received positive feedback for all of them. It means that we are improving after each held championship. They also for the first time realized a live TV project in the acrobatic and aerobic European championships and for the first time, people could watch live streaming in slow motion, live results via TV. They could see program of competitions, as well as ranking, all from one source." Gayibov also said he is concerned with the countries struggling with a limited budget for sports, affecting the growth and popularity of the sport across the continent, and proposed creating new commissions to find ways to aid the countries lagging behind. "But how can we help them?" he said. "They don't have money to send a gymnast to international competitions. They don't have money to buy apparatus or to invite international coaches. I think that we should create a special commission which will deal with these problems. Maybe we should also create another commission, where there will be representatives of big, strong gymnastics countries. It is possible. We know our problems, for which we may and will find the ways to solve." Rudolf Hediger (Switzerland) was re-elected as a Vice President of the UEG Executive Committee. France's Michel Boutard and Greece's Athanasios Vasileiadis were also elected. Russia's Andrei Rodionenko was also re-elected to the Executive Committee. Six-time Bulgarian Olympian Jordan Jovtchev, currently a member of the Executive Committee, lost his bid for re-election and for a vice presidential post. In another close race, Norway's Tom Thingvold defeated incumbent Jacob Wischnia of Israel 26 to 22 in the election for Men's Technical Committee President. Romania's Anca Mihăilescu-Grigoraş, running unopposed, was elected president of the UEG's Women's Technical Committee, replacing France's Yvette Brasier. Three-time world champion Maria Petrova of Bulgaria, also running unopposed, was elected president of the Rhythmic Technical Committee, succeeding Austria's Heide Bruneder. Vladimír Zeman of the Czech Republic was re-elected president of the Trampoline Technical Committee. Romania's Cătălin Manu was elected president of the Control Authorities. External Link: Russian Gymnastics Federation 2017 European Gymnastics Union Elections
President
Vice President
UEG Executive Committee
Control Authorities Committee President
Control Authorities Committee
Men's Technical Committee President
Men's Technical Committee
Women's Technical Committee President
Women's Technical Committee
Rhythmic Technical Committee President
Rhythmic Technical Committee
Trampoline Technical Committee President
Trampoline Technical Committee
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