By Liam Morgan

The UEG technical Presidents were informed of the strategic plan and measures at a meeting ©UEGA working group has been set up by the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) and charged with putting together a strategic plan as the sport attempts to embark on a radical period of change.

The group, which met in the Olympic capital Lausanne, will come up with measures and reform which will then be voted on at the UEG Congress in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava in November.

During a separate meeting, the technical Presidents of the UEG were brought up to speed on the future strategy.

One of the main topics of discussion focused on the European Championship and how the event can be developed to draw in more spectators and excitement around gymnastics, as part of their future global event concept.

UEG President Georges Guelzec (left) is one of the driving forces behind change within the sport of gymnastics ©Baku 2015UEG President Georges Guelzec (left) is one of the driving forces behind change within the sport of gymnastics ©Baku 2015



"A European Championship needs to be a varied spectacle to which the whole family goes and where people discover the diversity of gymnastics, in all its aspects; educational, pedagogical and fun; and where people meet and talk with champions," UEG President Georges Guelzec said.

"The gymnastics competitions of the future need to evolve and obey to a concept in which the athlete is in the centre, always coming first, and around whom there is show, recreation and information."

Frenchman Guelzec, who is bidding to take over from outgoing International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) President Bruno Grandi of Italy when the FIG Congress goes to Tokyo in October 2016, has been outspoken on the need for change within the sport of gymnastics.

A new presentation format was presented during the Baku Prepares series last month ©Baku 2015A new presentation format was presented during the Baku Prepares series last month
©Baku 2015


Before the "Baku Prepares" Open Joint Azerbaijan Championship, a gymnastics test event held ahead of the inaugural European Games in the Azerbaijani capital in June, Guelzec told the FIG Executive Committee at a meeting in Lausanne that the sport was "too complicated, too long and too expensive to produce for television".

He also insisted that "gymnastics must rapidly undertake fundamental changes to survive".

The test event in Baku saw all six gymnastics disciplines take place simultaneously in the same hall for the first time in the sport's history, marking the first step to further gymnastics events potentially being held at future Olympic Games.

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