The UEG is set to become European Gymnastics ©UEG

The European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) will change its name to European Gymnastics on April 1 next year following approval at the General Assembly in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.

The news follows a similar switch in name which saw the International Association of Athletics Federations become known officially as World Athletics from last Friday (November 15).

Forty-seven of the 50 National Federations attended the biennial Assembly, which was preceded by an UEG Executive Committee meeting led by President Farid Gayibov of Azerbaijan, at which hosts were invited to bid for three future events.

These were the 2022 European Championships in Trampoline and TeamGym, the 2022 European Gym for Life Challenge, EUROGYM and Golden Age Gym Festival, and the 2023 European Championships in Artistic, Rhythmic, Acrobatic and Aerobic Gymnastics.

The Executive Committee also discussed and submitted for voting the final changes to the technical regulations for 2020 and 2021.

The General Assembly of the European Union of Gymnastics has approved a name change to European Gymnastics from April next year ©Getty Images
The General Assembly of the European Union of Gymnastics has approved a name change to European Gymnastics from April next year ©Getty Images

The approved regulations will be published on the organisation's website.

The General Assembly approved the minutes of the 2017 General Assembly in Split, and changes to the statutes.

The financial reports for 2017 and 2018 were also approved, as were the provisional accounts of 2019 and the budget for 2020.

Three former UEG officials were honoured for their dedicated service.

Malin Eggertz Forsmark of Sweden became honorary vice-president, while Galina Kovalchuk of Ukraine and Jacky Wischnia of Israel became honorary members of the federation.

The next General Assembly will be hosted by the Portuguese Gymnastics Federation in Albufeira in December 2021.