Papadopoulus G., Kaimakamis V., Kaimakamis D., Proios M. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF… Vol. 6 Issue 2: 29 - 40 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF RULES AND COMPETITION SYSTEMS IN GYMNASTICS FROM 1896 TO 1912 Georgios Papadopoulos, Vasilios Kaimakamis, Dimitrios Kaimakamis. Miltiadis Proios Department of Physical Education and Sport Science Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Original article Abstract The efforts for a subjective and fair judgment for Gymnastics began since the first decades of the 19th century i.e. since the sport began to take a primitive competition form. In the years that followed, various competitive systems and rules were formed without being commonly accepted for all countries and federations. Nevertheless, the two international sport agencies, the IOC and the FEG organized international tournaments (Olympic Games, International Tournament), where participating countries accepted, more or less, the rules and competitive systems applied each time. The lack of permanent and commonly accepted rules and specifications of gymnastic apparatus created many problems at the six Olympic Games mentioned in the present study. This fact created suspiciousness within gymnastics and especially within the two international agencies with a direct impact on the progress and development of the sport. Keywords: Gymnastics, Olympic Games, Judgment, Competitive systems, Rules INTRODUCTION From the end of the 19th century to the important efforts for the finding of reliable beginnings of the second decade of the 20th and commonly accepted scoring systems, century (1896-1913) it was the most without positive results since disagreements important period in the total history of and problems were aroused during this gymnastics. During these two decades the period. This fact was a rather suspending sport was highly promoted, formed, factor for the progress and international specialized and internationalized. acceptance of the sport as well as an Competitions began to be organized by the important reason for consideration for all two important international sports agencies involved (Kaimakamis, 2001). institutions, the Olympic Games of the IOC FEG established for its tournaments unified and the international tournament of the FEG rules and assessment system without (Federatious Europeennes de Gymnastque success since different federations were later named FIG). During this time we see characterized by introversion and did not Science of Gymnastics Journal 29 Science of Gymnastics Journal Papadopoulus G., Kaimakamis V., Kaimakamis D., Proios M. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF… Vol. 6 Issue 2: 29 - 40 have the will to give up their own systems. confusion and problems. This is the reason Problems also occurred at the Olympic why the FIG, as well as some federations in Games, since each organizing country many countries never stopped working to imposed its own scoring and competition find a more reliable and simpler ways of system and its own events based on its own assessment (Dörrer, 1999; Uhr, 1999a, b). specified preferences. Even more when The leaders of world gymnastics should be participating countries followed a different directed to such a path since it is proven system, problems were rather great since that the objectivity and reliability of rules is each side competed according to its own directly linked to the sport’s progress. It scoring and competition system should be mentioned that 2001 the last (Kaimakamis, 2001). change (improvement) of rules and The fact that many countries regulations took place, which surely will participated at both the Olympic Games and not be the last since Gymnastics the International Tournament which development will continue to be ongoing followed with the same rules and (Strickrodt, 1999). It is certain that in such regulations was a big success especially for an effort for the finding of ideal rules and an era when many Gymnastics’ Federations regulations, their history could provide the presented introversion and arrogance necessary guidance. The present study following their own path. offers assistance not only towards this It should also be noted that in both direction but also to the knowledge derived these decades cooperation did not exist from the general history of this sport. among the IOC and the FEG, despite the fact that these two important international agencies could be bonded based on their METHODS special love for Gymnastics. FEG for more than 20 years since its founding in 1881 up The present study makes an effort to to 1903 when it organized the first investigate record and showcase the international Gymnastics Tournament (then problems found within rules and renamed to World Championship of competition systems of the first five (5) Gymnastics), showed no activity worth Olympic Games (1896-1912), and the Mid of mentioning. Olympic Games of Athens in 1906. This The path to development was long specific era was selected since the since the FIG rules were first composed and infrastructure of these games was formed commonly accepted in 1949 (with a total of not only for competitive systems and 12 pages), and have been continuously assessment method for athletes, but because improved up to present (Zschocke, 1997). it was a landmark for the development of During this time and for the following Gymnastics. decades Gymnastics, then called by the The method used in the collection of general name of “Gymnastic Sports”, was data was made based on historic research of not a separate and specialized sport but a archives and focused on the rules and mixed and integrated sport within a more competitive systems used at the greatest general gymnastic system, which apart from sport event, the Olympic Games. the traditional competitive gymnastics The collection of data for the present events also included track and field games study was mainly based on written and and even swimming. These extra events sources of Guts Muthts (1793), Jahn (1816), were included in Gymnastics’ competitions Brustmann (1906), Savvidis (1906), Diem up to 1950. (1912) and Chrysafis (1930). Data were Today the Scoring System covers all also derived from modern writers such as details relating to competition and Göhler (1980), Lennartz /Teutenberg assessment. Subjectivity was not (1995), Gajdos (1997), e.t.c. Useful data eliminated, often creating disagreement, Science of Gymnastics Journal 30 Science of Gymnastics Journal Papadopoulus G., Kaimakamis V., Kaimakamis D., Proios M. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF… Vol. 6 Issue 2: 29 - 40 came from the two studies by Kaimakamis empirical observation and simple (2002, 2003), where Gymnastics in the comparison of those competing. Later these Olympic Games of 1896 and the Mid primitive forms of assessment determined Olympics of 1906 were analyzed. the winners and were developed, reformed and used by the creators of gymnastics, COMPETITION AND ASSESSMENT since this was necessary for the IN GYMNASTICS BY GUTS MUTHS development of the sport itself. The AND JAHN development and specialization led the people involved with Gymnastics to search It is widely known that the birth, and apply more reliable assessment systems formation and the first development of relevant to the level and needs of the sport. Gymnastics took place during the first Borrmann (1987, p. 36-37), informs us decades of the 19th century where the bases that the first official forms of gymnastics were set for this sport. A short mention of took place in 1832 at the gymnastics’ Gymnastics during this era will be helpful festival of the city of Aarau, Germany while for the present study. in 1844 the German city of Feldberg also Since the first years the students of held other activities and gymnastic events Jahn felt the need to be compared, to without archives regarding the assessment compete and to show excellence in many of athletes. gymnastics events. In the sport’s From the middle of the 19th century “primitive” era there were no technical onward, the organization of athletic games specifications for the various gymnastic always included gymnastics. No archives exercises. What was assessed was the for the assessments were found. number of repetitions of the various Gajdos (1997, p. 198), informs us that exercises and the endurance of the total in 1862 the Czech Federation of performance time. In this way the best were Gymnastics organized the first public easily found since the only thing needed events where the athletes’ performance and was to measure repetitions or time. Jahn in the type of exercises were determined by a his book «Die Deutsche Turnkunst», type of “lottery” as follows: “Little pieces proudly narrates the story of his young of paper with the various exercises were student named August Thaer, who placed in a hat. Each athlete put his hand in performed on the high bar 60 rotations the hat and after mixing the papers he took (Aufschwünge), later increased to 132 one. He then executed the exercise (Göhler, 1987; Jahn, 1816; Spieth, 1989). mentioned on the piece of paper while three Guts Muts, who is considered as the judges graded with a score scaled from one immediate precursor of Jahn in Gymnastics, to five”. in his writing «Gymnastik für die Jugend», In 1880 Frankfurt held a mixed event suggests that he assessed gymnastics by the (exathlon) including three track and field number of repetitions and endurance (time). and gymnastic apparatus events. For the For exercise, competition and winners in his assessment of these events, a scale from one primitive high bar, many athletes were to five was used (Borrmann,