Bruno Grandi
Encyclopedia
Bruno Grandi is an Italian sportsman, currently president of the FIG
(Federation Internationale de Gymnastique) since 1996 and a member of the International Olympic Committee
since 2000. He was also an Italian junior gymnast, but has achieved more gymnastics success in a non-performing capacity, rising to become president of the FIG.
, Emilia Romagna, Grandi served as Professor of Physical education at the High Institute of Physical Education in Rome. He was a member of the Italian Artistic Gymnastic Juniors team, national coach of the Italian Men's junior's team and the long-time President of the Italian Gymnastics Federation (1977-2000). He pioneered the use of the 6-3-3 system in team finals which is intended to expand the number of countries who can win medals by making it possible to succeed with a smaller pool of gymnasts.
Perhaps as a consequence of this, more nations have achieved gymnastics success during his tenure than did before: Brazil
, France, Australia and Britain
are now regulars on the podium. That said, they tend to win medals in individual finals rather than team events (in women's gymnastics, only once in the past 15 years has a world team medal been won by any nation other than Romania, Russia, China and the USA, and never an Olympic team medal). In comparison, since 2000 the sport has seen female world and Olympic individual champions from the likes of France, Spain and Brazil. So at present, it would seem that the diversity in medal winning nations does not stretch across the whole sport, the team event still tending to remain the preserve of the sports traditional powers.
During Grandi's tenure, the sport has gone through many controversies, notably those at the 2004 Olympics. The men's high bar fiasco surrounding Alexei Nemov
and the Paul Hamm
/ Yang Tae Young
dispute garnered the most publicity. In 2004-2005 the FIG and its president Grandi developed a new scoring system, in which an open ended scoring will be used, so that the marks are theoretically limitless. The majority of the FIG did vote in favour of the new Code. This was a controversial move: many fans and athletes alike campaigned against it, speaking out in opposition
The new code took effect in 2006. The 2006 Commonwealth Games
were completed under the new Code. The results at this competition were somewhat controversial, primarily because of the women's all-around results A tie for first place was decided by taking the highest three scores, and local gymnast Hollie Dykes
of Australia was able to win bronze despite falling on every piece. No official protests were filed, but the British federation seemed unhappy, and complained on the official British Gymnastics website http://www.british-gymnastics.org/ (see Commonwealth Games section, articles from March 18 and March 20 by Trevor Lowe and Barry Davis). Still, the result did stand.
In 2001 Grandi was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
.
FIG
FIG may refer to:*Common fig, a large, deciduous shrub native to southwest Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region.*Ficus, a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs in the family Moraceae.-Acronym:* Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique...
(Federation Internationale de Gymnastique) since 1996 and a member of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
since 2000. He was also an Italian junior gymnast, but has achieved more gymnastics success in a non-performing capacity, rising to become president of the FIG.
Biography
A native of ForlìForlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
, Emilia Romagna, Grandi served as Professor of Physical education at the High Institute of Physical Education in Rome. He was a member of the Italian Artistic Gymnastic Juniors team, national coach of the Italian Men's junior's team and the long-time President of the Italian Gymnastics Federation (1977-2000). He pioneered the use of the 6-3-3 system in team finals which is intended to expand the number of countries who can win medals by making it possible to succeed with a smaller pool of gymnasts.
Perhaps as a consequence of this, more nations have achieved gymnastics success during his tenure than did before: Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, France, Australia and Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
are now regulars on the podium. That said, they tend to win medals in individual finals rather than team events (in women's gymnastics, only once in the past 15 years has a world team medal been won by any nation other than Romania, Russia, China and the USA, and never an Olympic team medal). In comparison, since 2000 the sport has seen female world and Olympic individual champions from the likes of France, Spain and Brazil. So at present, it would seem that the diversity in medal winning nations does not stretch across the whole sport, the team event still tending to remain the preserve of the sports traditional powers.
During Grandi's tenure, the sport has gone through many controversies, notably those at the 2004 Olympics. The men's high bar fiasco surrounding Alexei Nemov
Alexei Nemov
Alexei Yurievich Nemov is a gymnast from Russia and one of the most medaled gymnasts, male or female, of all time. He has won 12 Olympic medals, including more Olympic bronze medals than any other athlete. Nemov's sense of showmanship and his difficult routines have won him many fans...
and the Paul Hamm
Paul Hamm
Paul Elbert Hamm is an American artistic gymnast. He is a World Champion gymnast and three-time Olympic medalist. He won the all-around competition at the 2004 Olympic Games.-Career:...
/ Yang Tae Young
Yang Tae Young
Yang Tae-Young is a South Korean 2004 Olympic medalist in artistic gymnastics. Yang made his World Gymnastics Championships debut in 2001, competing with the eighth-place South Korean team in Ghent...
dispute garnered the most publicity. In 2004-2005 the FIG and its president Grandi developed a new scoring system, in which an open ended scoring will be used, so that the marks are theoretically limitless. The majority of the FIG did vote in favour of the new Code. This was a controversial move: many fans and athletes alike campaigned against it, speaking out in opposition
The new code took effect in 2006. The 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
were completed under the new Code. The results at this competition were somewhat controversial, primarily because of the women's all-around results A tie for first place was decided by taking the highest three scores, and local gymnast Hollie Dykes
Hollie Dykes
Hollie Johnston Dykes is a retired Australian gymnast who was born in Gold Coast, Queensland and began gymnastics at the age of four and a half. She started training at the Australian Institute of Sport in 1998 and was awarded a full scholarship there in 2000...
of Australia was able to win bronze despite falling on every piece. No official protests were filed, but the British federation seemed unhappy, and complained on the official British Gymnastics website http://www.british-gymnastics.org/ (see Commonwealth Games section, articles from March 18 and March 20 by Trevor Lowe and Barry Davis). Still, the result did stand.
In 2001 Grandi was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
The International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, located in Oklahoma City, USA, is a hall of fame dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of the world's greatest competitors, coaches and authorities in artistic gymnastics....
.