.Monica Rosu already resumed training in Bucharest were the women’s national team is currently training coming back from a short holiday at the Black Sea and will try to get in shape for this year’s World Championships to be held in Melbourne (AUS) in November.

The EBU’s decision is based on its inability to comply with FIG financial requirements.
The FIG has acknowledged the EBU’s decision, having already commenced its own negotiations for television contracts. Initial results have been positive and substantial bilateral agreements have been signed with NTV Russia and TVR Romania. Furthermore, negotiations with Eurosport remain open and the outcome promises to be swift and positive.
In 2000, the FIG waded into the television rights market without using a marketing agency. Direct contacts made at Sportel allowed the FIG to collaborate exclusively with the Japanese network NHK, Chinese CCTV, WCC TV in the USA and Ukhozi in Africa.
Source: FIG press release

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OLYMPIC ROSTER
International Olympic Committee members have a 256-page statistical report to help them decide if any sports should be dropped from the Games to make way for new events.
Each of the 28 sports contested in Athens last summer will be put to a vote; any sport failing to get a majority will be dropped for the 2012 Olympics.
Track and field, swimming, artistic gymnastics and basketball drew the highest TV viewership, while lowest went to sailing, archery, shooting and modern pentathlon. Track got the most press coverage, followed by swimming, soccer, gymnastics and basketball.
Least coverage went to trampoline, rhythmic gymnastics, modern pentathlon and mountain biking.
Seven-a-side rugby, golf, karate, squash and roller sports are all vying for a spot on the Olympic program. No sport has been cut from the Summer Games since polo in 1936.
IOC information

The National Indoor Stadium will be the competition venue for the sports of gymnastics (artistic gymnastics is at another venue) and handball.
This construction project mainly consists of a main structure and a warm-up gym nearby and other outdoor facilities. It occupies a total area of 6.87 hectares, with the overall construction space of about 80,900 square meters. The seating capacity of the National Indoor Stadium is 18,000.

The creative design of the Indoor Stadium originates from a Chinese traditional folding fan. The construction of the venue will fully demonstrate the three concepts of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, namely Green Olympics, Hi-tech Olympics, and People’s Olympics, and it will be implemented in an economical way. Besides, the construction will fully consider the combination of function, environment friendliness and artistic design, and the post-game use, which will help to make ensure it not only meets the competition requirements but also lays a strong emphasis on energy-saving and environment friendliness.

After the 2008 Olympic Games, the National Indoor Stadium will become first-class sports facilities for the local people, with both sports competition and entertainment functions.

The venue is owned by Guoao Investment, which is selected through global bidding.
The National Indoor Stadium was the sixth Olympic competition venue that starts construction, following the National Aquatic Center, the National Stadium, Laoshan Velodrome, Beijing Shooting Range, Wukesong Sports and Culture Center.
BOCOG website

Gute EM-Generalprobe
Die Generalprobe vor den Europameisterschaften im ungarischen Debrecen in der kommenden Woche ist den deutschen Turnern geglückt. Vor 600 begeisterten Zuschauern im schwäbischen Bad Wimpfen besiegte die deutsche Nationalmannschaft eine tschechische Auswahl klar mit 216,075:175,45 Punkten.

Auch das Juniorenteam der Gastgeber, die allerdings nur mit der zweiten Reihe antraten, war erfolgreich und gewann deutlich mit 192,900 : 170,050.

>

... more content of the FIG press releas:
The last word on the matter will belong to the members of the FIG's Executive Committee. They will make their decision 10th October 2005 in Baku (AZE), just the day before the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships that the Azeri capital will host. In the evening of the 10th October Artistic Gymnastics can then at last return to the Olympic Indoor Hall and exorcise the nightmare of 19th August 2004.
The technicians, judges, experts and gymnasts will therefore dare and win the bet of modernity as they had done so previously in 1996 during the congress of Atlanta, by removing the compulsory exercises, while at the same time howls of 'it's the end of the world' could be heard all around the Hotel Marriott Airport. And then life goes on, taking the gymnasts towards greater heights that we all know and dives down to the deepest of abysses.

At Helsinki the election of the FIG Disciplinary Commission will also be held, a number of proposals coming from the FIGs affiliated Federations will also be studied as well as the approval of the budget 2006.

A lot to do then for the 44 members or the FIG Council, which we know will also have to designate the host federations for the World Championships 2006 (ACRO), 2008 (AER) and 2009 (ART and TRA.
The 2006 Council should be hosted in Asia as per the rotation principle, and Malaysia has already put in a bid...

To be read hereby below the Presidents Newsletter published by the Prof. Grandi concerning the 5th FIG Council...
fig / P. Silacci
>> President's NewsLetter N°29 May 05

The 41st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in 2009 will be hosted at 'The O2' in London, formerly known as 'The Millennium Dome', providing a timely boost for London’s 2012 bid ahead of the International Olympic Committee’s decision on 6th July....

The new Code...next steps
For the time being, the Executive will focus on crucial issues, like the principles of the new Code of Points for Artistic gymnastics.
The next steps of the ongoing procedure are the joint meeting of both Men's and Women's Technical Committee which will be held in Debrecen (HUN) and Minsk (BLR in the coming weeks.
The final document will be on the desk of the Secretary General on August 31 at the latest. It will then be distributed for information to the Executive Committee members and to the 129 FIG Affiliated Federations.
The final decision rests with the Executive Committee, a decision that will be made October 10, 2005 at its meeting in Baku (AZE).

... more Official FIG News...:
>> The Council has elected Mr Rached Gharbi (TUN) President of the Disciplinary Commission and Mr Marc Schoenmaekers (BEL) and Paul Engelmann (SUI) as Members;

>> At the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup Finals, any FIG Official Authorities Members on duty do not have the right to direct a team or to participate in other work which could be asked by any Federation or the organisers;

>> In the future, the text of the IOC Judges' Oath will be applied at FIG events. An Athletes' Oath has been created. Both texts will be read during the Opening Ceremony of world championships and world cup finals;
>> Inquiries for the difficulty scores are allowed, provided that they are made verbally immediately after the publication of the score. The inquiry must be confirmed in writing within a few minutes. Every inquiry must be examined by the Superior Jury and a final decision (which may not be appealed) must be taken at the very latest at the end of the rotation (or group) for the qualifying competitions, the all-around competitions and the team competition (final). The detailed procedure will be laid down in all the Code of Points;

>> In 2009, the minimum age for all gymnasts to participate at FIG events will 16 years old. There will be no change for the current Olympic Cycle;

>> In Acrobatic Gymnastics, the Council rejected the proposals to remove the combined exercise from the qualifications. Also rejected the re-introduction of static and tempo exercises in the finals;

>> The 26st Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in 2009 will be held in St Petersburg (RUS);

>> Aerobic Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics will host their first Academies in the following order 2005 and 2006;

>> The next FIG Council in 2006 will be held in Asia. The Federation of Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) is candidate;

>> 2006 will be the year of the 125th anniversary of the FIG. The official celebration will be held on October 29.
Offical FIG news