European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) President Georges Guelzec, who is bidding to become President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) next year, has long called for a review of the sports' competition format to improve its attractiveness and suitability for television audiences. 

The inaugural European Games in the Azerbaijani capital, due to take place from June 12 to 28, will see all five gymnastic disciplines showcased simultaneously in the same hall for the first time ever.

As well as artistic, rhythmic and trampoline events, which have featured at every Olympics since Amsterdam 1928, Los Angeles 1984 and Sydney 2000 respectively, the non-Games disciplines of aerobics and acrobatics will also be staged.

Frenchman Guelzec has described the move as "rewriting the history" of the sport and in addressing the FIG Executive Committee ahead of the test event, he reiterated his belief that change is necessary.

"Our sport is too complicated, too long and too expensive to produce for television," said the former Olympic gymnast during a meeting in Lausanne.

"Gymnastics must rapidly undertake fundamental changes to survive."

Georges Guelzec, President of the European Union of Gymnastics, has reiterated his desire for change ©UEG



Guelzec confirmed his intention to run for FIG Presidency in January, following incumbent Bruno Grandi's announcement that he will not seek another term in office when his current one expires during the body's 81st Congress in Tokyo in October 2016.

If elected, it is widely believed that he will bid for aerobic and acrobatic events to be added to the Olympic programme at some point in the future.

A combined total of 446 athletes are set to compete across the gymnastics disciplines at Baku 2015.

Each discipline will last for three days, except artistic gymnastics which will be held over four days of competition, with a total of 34 medal events overall - the second largest of all the sports at the European Games.

The gymnastics test event is a three-day competition, scheduled to conclude on Friday (March 6).

It follows on from Baku's hosting of the 2014 Rhythmic Gymnastic European Championships in June; another important milestone in the build-up to this year's multi-sport event extravaganza. 

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