Dimitropoulos, 58 years old, is making his first official visit as UEG President after the UEG elections 2003, held in Vienna in October 2003 in which he succeeded the German Klaus Lotz.
'In my programme for the next two-year period 2004/2005 I had reaffirmed the necessity of a stronger relationship between the UEG and the national gymnastics federations. This is one of the reasons of my visit, as well as the mutual esteem and friendship that makes me bound to the President Agabio', said Mr. Dimitropoulos.
'During the meeting with the UEG President we perfectly agreed on matters of urgency and necessity of the European gymnastics - said Riccardo Agabio - and I am convinced that during the next two-year period the relationships between UEG and FGI are going to become more and more fruitful'.
President Dimitropoulos will conclude his round of official visits in Italy with a meeting with the President of the International Gymnastics Federation, Bruno Grandi'.

Source: FGI, Italy, (VDD)

'GYM 2004', Kristiansand, Norwegen
... more information about this fascinating gymnastics festival was transmitted by the chief organizer Guy Jung - a former Luxembourgian top athlet of artistic gymnastics - who lives a couple of years in Norway:
>> Information / Invitation

This festival you will find from now on in the very new calendar system, in the 'HAPPY GYM Calendar 2004'.
>> ... for more information, please use the event website on: www.gymfestival.com.
... or use the GYMmmedia service 'HAPPY GYMNASTICS' and there the banner on the right side.
- gymmedia -

Elected in replacement of the resigning president Klaus Lotz, the new president starts a legislative period of two years, before the general elections of 2005.
Although respecting the continuity, Dimitrios Dimitropoulos wishes to establish his own politics, at least give new impulses in some domains, and intensify the contact with each of the 46 UEG member federations.
Now he starts a series of visits in Germany on Monday, December the 15th.

>>... read also an interview with Dimitrios Dimitropoulos, published by UEG:
>> Interview with Dimitrios Dimitropoulos.

During the last years father and son Telo have recognized an inreased attention and support of the Blume- Festival as well through the local government as also through the administration of the city. The heads of delegations of the Blume Festival have been invited to a reception of the local government this year. Withouth this support the organisation and logistics for the almost 7,500 participants couldn't be realised.
The local radio station 'Radio Gran Canaria' presents a weekly half-hour report about the Blume Festival and the different topics of gymnastics.

'Quite difficult conditions', mentioned the girls from the club 'RSG Saar' at first when they saw the hard carpet on the even harder granite floor. But then they thrilled the audience with their fireworks of rhythmic gymnastics and received a lot of cheers from all the tourists from all over the World.
Also representatives of the local government in Maspalomas have meanwhile recognized that the organisers present quite an important sportive and cultural event in this holiday region. A TV live transmission is planned for the next year while already this year the local island-TV has presented a report of about five minutes.

This is the second successive year that the competition, the only one of its kind for gymnasts with disabilities, has been held in Belfast.
The competition is the centrepiece of a weekend of activities, which also sees the Hilton Hotel hosting an international symposium on the development of gymnastics for disabled people

>> Memorable Weekend in Belfast comes to Conclusion!
<< Summary of the first Day
<< Results of the first Day

>>....read more in an article, written by Mark Ashby
on the Website of British Gymnastics Federation BAGA

In order to replace G. Guelzec in the executive committee the delegates have elected with 26 votes Silvio Kroll (GER), former World champion (parallel bars and vault), with 26 votes. He is also the current head of the board of control. In this election Jiri Kubicka (CZE) received 11 votes and Franz Vetti (AUT) 5.

The changes which were proposed by the UEG regarding the calendar of events (as discussed in the colloquium) have mainly been declined by the congress delegates.

Regarding marketing- and event management questions
Impressions from the congress by Mag. Robert Labner, ÖFT

The UEG-Congress started in Vienna already in the morning with a “colloquium” regarding marketing –and event management questions in gymnastics.
Marc Jörg, Sports Co-ordinator of the EBU (European Broad- casting Union) held a presentation on the conditions which are necessary in order to be successful with an event on television.

Also statements from the head of marketing of the UEG Manfred Kucht ('To make our sport easier to understand for the public we still have a long way to go') and FIG-President Bruno Grandi ('We need three things: 'Shorter competitions, more personalities, understandable judging criteria”) went into the same direction. ...

Altogether the discussion brought up the impression that the will to carry out far-reaching reforms is not yet existent in the leading heads of many European federations! The request “to wait a bit with changing the formats of the European championships” has been heard several times these days.
UEG-President Klaus Lotz regarding this: 'We have already waited far too long.'
ÖFT- honorary president Rudi Otepka summed up: 'During the last 15 years nothing major has been changed in a positive direction...“
(Congress-notes by Robert Labner/ÖFT)

Regarding the changes which have been suggested by the UEG concerning the European competition calender, especially regarding the European championships which in future should take place every year in the various gymnastics disciplines, there have been controversial points of view. Concerns were expressed especially by the delegates from Switzerland, Great Britain and Germany (speaker: DTB-President Brechtken) – supported also by Romania - with the following arguments:
- possible overwork of the athletes,
- too excessive financial demands for the federations,
- the changes have not yet been sufficiently agreed with the World federation FIG...
- gymmedia -

On the first day of the event symposia in the individual gymnastics disciplines take place in the former guest house of the emperor in the hotel “Parkhotel Schoenbrunn” in Vienna:
Women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, sports acrobatics, sports aerobics, euroteam and general gymnastics.
Friday (Oct. 10th) starts with a forum for the presidents of the European Gymnastics Federations. This forum will lead into a colloquium on basic questions regarding event marketing and strategic event planning. The UEG General Meeting starts in the afternoon but its highlights will follow on Saturday, Oct. 11th (9.00 am – 6.00 pm). This day starts with a report from Klaus Lotz on the topic “More comprehension for reforms!” and then the highlights of the general meeting will follow with the elections and votings.

Through this one position will be available in the Executive Committee, the highest board of the UEG. Sylvio Kroll, the former World Champion from Germany and Olympic Silver Medalist and current tournament director of the Grand Prix in Cottbus, applies for this position. For a few years already he holds the position of a “president of the board of control” in the UEG. Strong competition for this position comes from the host nation of this congress with the President of the Austrian Gymnastics Federation Dir. Mag. Franz Fetti, who stands for a ”modern and success- orientated profile of the UEG”, as well as from the Czech Gymnastics Federation with President Jiri Kubicka.

Summary of FIG:
GYMNASTICS CREATES THE EVENT!

After four days of activities on the site of the Park of Nations in Lisbon, the International Federation of Gymnastics looks at its first positive balance sheet. To everyone’s satisfaction, the organizers are recording success at every level. The local committee is managing 25,000 participants daily. Its leader, Manuel Boa de Jesus, does not hide his admiration for his colleagues and the 1300 volunteers whose involvement is exemplary.
Professor Bruno Grandi, President of the International Federation of Gymnastics and Member of the IOC, was overcome by this popular success. He remarked that this event will stand out in the history of the FIG and should inspire the international sports organizations to give more credit to popular events dedicated to the culture of sport. In Lisbon, the culture shock is overwhelming, reminding everyone of the existence of an ideal in sport that we must promote without any political or dubious overtones.
These virtues will certainly be recognized Saturday at the closing ceremony, which will be attended, we remind you, by Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee and Mr. Adolf Ogi, Special Delegate of the General Secretary of the United Nations and former Minister and President of the Swiss Confederation. The presence of these two personalities will be a tribute to both the local organizers and the FIG in their joint efforts to energize the spirit of sport for the benefit of the well being of the individual and peace in the world.