Around the World

No 74 FEBRUARY 2015

AROUND THE WORLD

INTERNATIONAL
GYMNASTICS COLLEGE

The premiere International Gymnastics College for education, training and scientific research, academic exchange and the global promotion of gymnastics was inaugurated on October 14, 2014 at the Sports University in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province in the People’s Republic of China.

Unique in its kind, the institution is the fruit of a partnership signed between the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), the Chinese Gymnastics Association (CGA) and Wuhan Sports University (WSU), also affiliated to the Sports Arts Institute (SAI) of said university. An official ceremony set the backdrop for an event in which the highest sport and academic authorities of the City and Province participated: Mr Lu Wang Gang, WSU President; Mr Wei Xu Bo, SAI President; Prof. Luo Chaoyi, CGA President; Prof. Bruno Grandi, FIG President, accompanied by the FIG Secretary General, André F. Gueisbuhler.

INTERNATIONAL REFERENCES

This premiere International Gymnastics College has as its mission to educate athletes, coaches, and judges, through the competencies and installations offered by the University. Their expertise is henceforth made available to the entire international gymnastics community, who will be invited to attend a university with a prestigious history in sport, having produced world champions such as Yang Wei and Cheng Fei. The latter now directs a training centre for emerging gymnasts at the University of Wuhan.

During the inauguration, the FIG President was named Honorary Professor of the Wuhan Sports University and first Honorary President of the International Gymnastics College. The FIG Secretary General and the FIG Director of Education and Academies, respectively Mr André F. Gueisbuhler and Mr Hardy Fink, were granted the titles of advisors.

In his address, the FIG President paid tribute to the architects of this first International Gymnastics College. “The entire international gymnastics community is both proud of this project and grateful to Chinese gymnastics, its athletes and leaders,” said the President. “This first college in Wuhan opens new doors with regard to educational and training for anyone in gymnastics, in both China and beyond. The Chinese Gymnastics Association has acted bravely as a pioneer. Their innovative gesture will have a lasting impact on the life of the FIG,” he concluded.

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