12. Februar 2020  
Lausanne, SUI  
Sports Acrobatics

Donghua LI: Ambassador for 2020 ACRO Worlds

Donghua LI (SUI)

This year once more, some of Gymnastics’ great champions of old will be taking up roles as Ambassadors at the 2020 World Championships. The FIG is delighted to announce the names of the three legends who will light up the Worlds with their presence and pass on their passion for sport to the next generation. FIG President Morinari Watanabe commented: "Heroes have always made history in Gymnastics. Behind the medals, there are countless inspirational stories. By sharing their tales, our 2020 Gymnastics Ambassadors will help build bridges between generations as well as between Gymnastics disciplines."

Olympiagold 1996

Donghua Li (SUI)
Switzerland’s last Olympic champion in Artistic Gymnastics, Donghua Li has a rare story to tell. At the age of 20, he chose to leave China, his home country, for love and settled in Switzerland. This decision had consequences as the doors of the China national squad were permanently closed to him and he had to wait five years to acquire Swiss nationality. When he finally took part in his first Worlds in Swiss colours in 1994, he won the bronze medal on the Pommel Horse. The next year, it was gold and then silver in 1996, a few months before his crowning moment in Atlanta where he became Olympic Pommel Horse champion.
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→ The FIG carries out the selection of the Ambassadors alongside the organising committee of the host country. The FIG’s Ambassadors’ Commission takes into consideration the wishes of the local organising committee together with several criteria such as a gymnast’s medals and the mark they made on the history of the sport, as well as their renown in the host country. The final choice is then submitted to the FIG Executive Committee for final approval.
*Source: f i g