University of Peloponnese Thesis AESTHETIC GROUP GYMNASTICS- the HISTORY of the SPORT and INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION Ann Anton Su
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University of Peloponnese Thesis AESTHETIC GROUP GYMNASTICS- THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT AND INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION Ann Anton Supervisor: Konstantinos Georgiadis Tallinn 2013 Gymnastics is one of the most natural activities for people of all age groups. Rhythmic gymnastics has been practiced in Northern and Eastern Europe for almost half a century. In the past 10 years its younger sister aesthetic group gymnastics has become increasingly popular. The governing body of aesthetic group gymnastics the International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics was founded in 2003. The author has been involved in gymnastics since the age of 7. First as a gymnast, now as a coach, judge and organizer of different gymnastics competitions. In Estonia, author’s native country, gymnastics is the number one sports practiced by girls. The history of the sport and the development of the federation have not been researched and documented before. But the availability of the materials and close relationship with one of the founders of the federation, Ms. Mall Kalve, made this thesis possible. The aim of the thesis is to provide insight to the development of aesthetic group gymnastics and the history of the Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics from its beginning until summer 2013. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABREVIATIONS................................................................................................ 4 1. GYMNASTICS IN GENERAL..................................................................... 6 1.1. The origins of gymnastics............................................................................ 6 1.2. International gymnastics federation.......................................................... 7 1.3. Differences between RG and AGG............................................................. 8 2. AGG UNTIL 1998........................................................................................... 10 2.1. Women group gymnastics through the years............................................ 10 2.2. The rise of AGG competitions.................................................................... 12 3. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.............................................................................. 14 3.1. 1999, The internationalisation of AGG...................................................... 14 3.2. 2000, 1st World Championships.................................................................. 15 3.3. 2001, Setting the rules for AGG................................................................. 17 3.4. 2002, Establishment of the judging system................................................ 19 3.5. 2003, Founding of the federation................................................................ 21 4. DEVELOPMENT OF THE FEDERATION AND SPORT....................... 26 4.1. 2004, Agreement with FIG.......................................................................... 26 4.2. 2005, 1st World Cup and Junior World Championships....................... 29 4.3. 2006, IFAGG office, conflict with FIG...................................................... 31 4.4. 2007, European Universities Cup, World Challenge Cup for Juniors................................................................................................................... 34 5. TIMES OF STRUGGLE AND CHANGE..................................................... 36 5.1. 2008, Unethical judges................................................................................. 36 5.2. 2009, Dominance of Finland...................................................................... 38 5.3. 2010, Alterations in committees.................................................................. 39 5.4. 2011, Economical situation of IFAGG....................................................... 41 6. NEW HORIZONS........................................................................................... 43 6.1. 2012, Spreading the sport............................................................................. 43 6.2. 2013, New continents at World Championships........................................ 44 7. MOST IMPORTANT AND SUCCESSFUL................................................. 46 7.1. People............................................................................................................. 46 7.2. AGG clubs..................................................................................................... 50 3 CONCLUSIONS AND REASONS FOR AGGs SLOW DEVELOPMENT............................................................................................... 53 REFERENCES.................................................................................................... 54 4 ABREVIATIONS AC Administrative Committee AGG Aesthetic Group Gymnastics EC Executive Committee FEG Federation Europeenne de Gymnastique FIG Federation Internationale de Gymnastique GC Gymnastics Club IFAGG International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics OVO Olarin Voimistelijat (Gymnastics Club in Finland) PC Promotional Committee RG Rhythmic gymnastics SC Sports Club SVoLi Finnish Gymnastics Federation WADA World Anti-Doping Agency WW World Wide (refers to World Championships held in 2004-2005) 5 1. GYMNASTICS IN GENERAL 1.1. The origins of gymnastics Gymnastics was introduced in early Greek civilization to facilitate bodily development through a series of exercises that included running, jumping, swimming, throwing, wrestling, and weight lifting. Many basic gymnastic events were practiced in some form before the introduction by the Greeks of gymnazein, literally, "to exercise naked." Physical fitness was a highly valued attribute in Ancient Greece, and both men and women participated in vigorous gymnastic exercises. The Romans, after conquering Greece, developed the activities into a more formal sport, and they used the gymnasiums to physically prepare their legions for warfare. With the decline of Rome, however, interest in gymnastics dwindled, with tumbling remaining as a form of entertainment (Bott, 1995 p. 23). As with many other sports after the decline of ancient Greece and Rome, the sports of gymnastics degraded as well. In 1774, a Prussian, Johann Bernhard Basedow, included physical exercises with other forms of instruction at his school in Dessau, Saxony. With this action began the modernization of gymnastics, and also thrust of the Germanic countries into the forefront in the sport. In the late 1700s, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn of Germany developed the side bar, the horizontal bar, the parallel bars, the balance beam, and jumping events. He, more than anyone else, is considered the "father of modern gymnastics." Gymnastics flourished in Germany in the 1800s, while in Sweden a more graceful form of the sport, stressing rhythmic movement, was developed by Guts Muth. The opening of Jahn's school in Berlin 1811, to promote his version of the sport, was followed by the formation of many clubs in Europe and later in England (Bott, 1995 p. 25). The sport was introduced to the United States by Dr. Dudley Allen Sargent, who taught gymnastics in several U.S. universities about the time of the Civil War, and who is credited with inventing more than 30 pieces of apparatus (Cooper et al., 1993 p.45). Clubs were formed as Turnverein and Sokol groups, and gymnasts were often referred to as "turners." Modern gymnastics excluded some traditional events, such as weight lifting and wrestling, and emphasized form rather than personal rivalry. 6 1.2. International Gymnastics Federation On 23rd July 1881 the office of FEG (Federation Europeenne de Gymnastique) was founded in Liege. Nicolas J. Cuperus was the president for 43 years. The founding countries present at the first International Convention where Belgium, France and the Netherlands (FIG, 2013). Men’s gymnastics was on the schedule of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Twenty eight athletes are known to have participated in gymnastics from eight nations in 8 events such as parallel bars, horizontal bar, horse vaulting both team and individual (Mallon & Widland, 1998 p. 23). The FEG, recognized by the IOC, did not officially participate in these Games as an international Federation (FIG, 2013). Several competitions are held; the International Tournament in Antwerp in 1903 can be considered the start of World Championships. In 1908 for the first time, FEG participates in the Olympic Games as an official international federation, responsible for gymnastics worldwide. On 7th April 1921 with the vote of sixteen members the FEG becomes FIG (Federation Interenationale de Gymnastique). Figure 1. Logo of FIG. (Source: The Olympic Sports). In Amsterdam, 1928 the first women participated in gymnastics in the Olympic Games. In 1952 more events were added to the women’s program (FIG, 2013). In the early Olympic competitions the dominant male gymnasts were from Germany, Sweden, Italy, and Switzerland, the countries where the sport first developed. But by the 1950s, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the Eastern European countries began to produce the leading male and female gymnasts (Bott, 1995 p. 27). 7 In 1984 rhythmic gymnastics was added to the Olympic program. Lori Fung from Canada was the first Gold Medalist in Rhythmic Gymnastics since nobody from the Soviet Union was present due to the boycott. 1.3. Differences between RG and AGG Since rhythmic gymnastics (RG) and aesthetic group gymnastics (AGG) are often confused, further explanation is needed. Rhythmic gymnastics is a women-only event in which gymnasts perform on a floor with a rope, hoop, ball, clubs or ribbon