The Russian-born teenager, winner of the all-round title at the Olympics in Beijing last year, is daughter of two former Soviet champion gymnasts, Olympic gold medalist Valeri Liukin - the first man to do a triple backflip - and World Champion rhythmic gymnast Anna Kotchneva.

She was a member of the delegation that helped present Chicago's unsuccessful bid to host the 2016 Olympics in Copenhagen earlier this month.

Finland's Jani Tanskanen, the 1997world champion on high bar, was chosen as the men’s artistic athlete representative in elections that were held in London on the eve of the World Championships, which open at the O2 Arena on Tuesday.

Liukin is missing the Championships because she wanted to take time off to ensure she would be ready for the Olympics at London in 2012.

Their terms run through 2012.
 

The commission has representatives from the FIG’s six disciplines: men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics; rhythmic gymnastics; trampoline; aerobics; and acrobatics.

As athlete representatives, Liukin and Tanskanen will attend meetings of the technical committee, which sets rules and regulations for each discipline.


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