FIG mulls 16-year age limit for athletes
The world gymnastics governing body, FIG, is pondering an age limit of 16 for gymnasts competing in international matches after the Beijing Olympic Games.
Bruno Grandi, the president of FIG, unveiled the idea of adopting new age regulations on Monday on the sidelines of the recently completed "Good Luck Beijing" Gymnastics International Invitational.
"Sports like gymnastics should not be there for kids," said Grandi. "Gymnasts should only be allowed to compete on the international stage when they are mature physically and mentally."
"It's likely there will be an age limit of no less than 16 for gymnasts to attend international competitions after 2008," added the Italian.
If the new age limit is applied, gymnasts younger than 16 wouldn't be allowed to compete in international events such as the Olympics, world championships and World Cup series.
US gymnast Shawn Johnson, the triple world champion at the 2007 Stuttgart Worlds, and China's Jiang Yuyuan, the women's team silver medalist, were both 15 when they competed in Stuttgart.
Jiang was also the all-around winner at the Good Luck Olympic test event.
Grandi is striving for fundamental reforms of FIG. He is a strong supporter of the new rules on scoring, implemented after the Athens Games. Under the new scoring rules, the "perfect 10" points ceiling is removed, encouraging routine difficulties to continuously progress.
"The essence of sports is to face the utmost challenge, and it's the same in gymnastics," said Grandi.
"Gymnastics should not be framed by a set mark. The new scoring code is a way of encouraging athletes to challenge their courage and high points.
"The increase of routine difficulty is an inevitable trend. This trend won't change after the Beijing Olympics, but gymnastics is not acrobatics and keeps the traits of art and beauty in additional to competition," commented Grandi.
Xinhua
(China Daily 12/07/2007 page22)
