22. Dezember 2003  
Moutier / Schweiz  
Artistic Gymnastics

FIG Press Release: Coaches: On your Marks....!

F.I.G. Gymnastics Academy

Today the International Gymnastics Federation F.I.G published a turn of press releases in occasion of the successful issue of the third level of the new 'Gymnastics Academy'
To the very first time the FIG relegated brevets to 11 women and 14 men, which have finished the education successfully...


F.I.G. PRESS RELEASE:
A Historic Achievement of the FIG and its Academies of Gymnastics Coaches, On Your Marks!
Moutier, December 22, 2003: --- 'We are living a historic moment, which will be cited as an example by the entire international sports community.' These were the words of Professor Bruno Grandi, FIG President and IOC Member, expressed December 9, at the Lilleshall’s National Sports Center of Great Britain.
The occasion was the awarding of the first official FIG coaching brevets to 11 women and 14 men, who had just completed their training program at the FIG’s very new Academies of Gymnastics.
For the first time, the smartest coaches were gathered around the same table to effectively sanction the FIG Academies’ program.This is a victory for President Grandi, the initiator of this project, as well as for gymnastics and sports overall. The concept of the FIG Academies grew out of Professor Grandi’s conviction that only competent and highly qualified individuals, holding a recognized diploma bestowed exclusively by the FIG, should be entrusted with the training of gymnasts.
Professor Grandi further remarked, 'As President of the FIG, I am responsible for the mental and physical well-being of all active gymnasts. Their good health is too precious to be put in the care of inexperienced hands and exposed to unnecessary risks with catastrophic consequences. I know what I am talking about, since I too was a gymnast and a coach.'FIG brevets are awarded upon completion of a degree program, which leads the candidates through the three increasingly more difficult levels of an academic curriculum.
This multidisciplinary program essentially includes biomechanics, psychology, law, and medicine. This program rewards talented coaches and brings about a new era in the teaching and monitoring of athletes. Above all, the direction chosen by the FIG signals to the international sports community that the International Federation of Gymnastics is determined to fight against charlatans and is resolved to protect its gymnasts by emphasizing the important function performed by the coach.
FIG Academies Honored: The Best of Gymnastics!
Moutier, December 22, 2003:: --- With the awarding of the first official FIG coaching brevets, the entire organization of the Academies of gymnastics reached today its first historic milestone.
This project was among the objectives that Professor Bruno Grandi had set forth as a candidate to the presidency of the FIG in 1996. A visionary in many ways, he had then pointed out the many gaps in the training methods and supervision of the athletes. He had courageously pointed his finger at charlatans and opportunists more concerned with the blind pursuit of a career than with the health of the gymnasts entrusted to them.
Professor Grandi’s message hit the nail on the head and was heard around the world!
Seven years later, he has now realized his dream and enjoys a victory patiently built on an idea, which was simply to elevate the role of the coaches by creating the appropriate environment, within which they could acquire practical knowledge. His message has not changed: 'The job of coaching requires serious, multidisciplinary training under the guidance of professionals and through contacts with the best. There is certainly a dose of talent in a good coach, but there is mainly a lot of work and practical knowledge. 'Structurally, the concept of the FIG Academies offers a training program that encompasses both theory and practice; divided into three levels of difficulties, this educational path prepares the candidates for an examination that will qualify them for the FIG Brevet awarded at the successful completion of the third level.
This achievement entitles the graduate to practice as an official certified coach. Several specialty courses are taught by a number of experts in medicine, biomechanics, pedagogy, psychology, methodology, and law.
Academies at the first and second levels have been organized on all the continents since February 2002 - the date marking the inauguration of the very first Academy in Kuala Lumpur (MAS).
Today, the FIG celebrates its first Academy at the third level and confers its first diplomas.
Initiated by the President of the FIG, the Academies benefited during their introductory phase as they do today from the contribution of the best in Gymnastics. Experts, doctors, psychologists and former gymnasts have brought their knowledge and invaluable experience to this project. Foremost, Adrian Stan, who played a key role in the development of this project, should be cited as well as the experts who have successively collaborated with him:
- Hardy Fink, Brian McVey, Keith Russel (CAN),
- Vladimir Smolevski (RUS),
- the former Olympic Champion Nellie Kim (BLR), and the scientists:
- Dr. Michel Léglise, Vice-President of the FIG and President of the Medical Commission,
- Doctor Bruggeman (GER) from the Köln Biomechanics Institute, and
- Psychologist John Salmela (BRA).

The project’s validation phase was entrusted to the most accomplished coaches in the world:
- Leonid Arkaev and Eduard Iarov ( RUS),
- Octavian Belu, Maria Bitang (ROM);
- Bruno Franceschetti (ITA).
All of them have applauded the initiative of the FIG President and recommended the endorsement from all affiliated federations.
The International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Solidarity and the National Olympic Committees of the host countries have all supported this project.
Source: FIG press releases, 2003, Dec-22
FIG Coaching Brevet – Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
FIG Trainer-Diplom (Brevet) - Gerätturnen, Frauen

BEL Beltman Gerrit
CZE Cenkova Petra
FRA Colson Marie-Angéline
GBR Aldous Peter
GBR Kirby Amanda
GBR Lea Michael
GBR Smith Rod
GBR Still Colin
ITA Pecar Diego
ROM Morosan Corina
USA Zmeskal Kim
FIG Coaching Brevet – Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
FIG Trainer-Diplom (Brevet) - Gerätturnen, Männer

FRA Eeckhoutte Jean-Jacques
GBR Burton Neil
GBR Hall Paul
GBR Fraser Joe
GBR Moore Simon
GBR Reddin Martin
GBR Readhead Lloyd
GER Bessi Flavio
ISL Brynjolfsson Gudmundur Thor
ITA Siviero Paolo
ITA Lazzarich Diego
ROM Blaj Gheorghe
SLO Kolar Edvard
SUI Haller Claus
The FIG Hands Out Its First Coaching Certificates.
 For a Safe Practice of Gymnastics! Moutier, December 22, 2003: --- The introduction of the Level III Academy and the conferring of the first 25 coaching brevets mark a turning point in the history of the International Federation of Gymnastics. It is the beginning of a new era – an era that will refocus fundamental values on the gymnast and promote the scholastic virtues of high-quality education.
Coaches are at the core of the gymnasts’ development process. By training coaches, the FIG intends to break with the past and offer an institutional environment, where the safe practice of world-class gymnastics is taught.

At the end of the ceremony marking the distribution of the first FIG coaching brevets, a number of personalities from the inner-circle of gymnastics were pleased to offer their opinions:
- Professor Bruno Grandi, FIG President and IOC Member
'Large federations may survive because of their past and traditions, but until when? We can finally provide our 125 affiliated federations with a product that will provide them with universal pedagogical methods. It is now up to them to do their work.'

Gianfranco Marzolla

Gianfranco Marzolla, President of the UEG Men’s Technical Committee:
'The wealth and originality of the Academies are rooted in the spirit and the intentions hidden behind the principle of this enterprise. All together, Academies represent continuity and progress;
they guarantee the universality of gymnastics. Reputedly 'strong' federations will find new resources in the academies, while the weaker ones will use the academies as a foundation for their development. It is an important and positive milestone in the long history of the FIG. It is a smart move with regard to future generations.'

Octavian Belu

Octavian Belu, National Romanian Coach:
'A proactive approach was finally adopted for the development of the FIG. The coaches now have an environment, where they can grow and improve. I now understand the FIG’s true intentions and can fully recommend the Academies to everyone. For the first time in many years, I feel that I am not just a Romanian coach but an international one as well!'