Decisions of the 31st Congress – Prague (CZE)

Over the past two days, all 50 member federations of European Gymnastics gathered in the Czech capital Prague to attend the presentations and discussions at the 31^st edition of the Congress.

On day 1, the General Assembly listened to reports of the President and the Technical Committee Presidents. Furthermore important proposals were discussed and voted for. This resulted in the General Assembly accepting the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to competition from 1 January 2026 onwards, following the FIG’s decision taken on 19.07.2023: ‘Athletes and support personnel with Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality are authorised (under certain conditions) to participate from 01.01.2024 onward as individual, neutral athletes in FIG sanctioned events.’ European Gymnastics will follow the FIG rules regarding this topic. The General Assembly did however not allow the return of authorities of these countries to their functions. The creation of a Parkour Working group was approved as well.

On day 2, all eyes were on the election results. Elected in 2017 as the 5^th President for European Gymnastics, Dr. Farid Gayibov ran for re-election, being challenged by the Men’s Technical Committee President Mario Vukoja. With a 27 – 23 results, Gayibov will start his third and final term as President.

Joining him in the Presidential Board are Ismail Göktekin (TUR), Tom Thingvold (NOR) and Sabrina Klaesberg (GER) while Marta Pagnini (ITA), Natalja Inno (EST), Ciaran Gallagher (IRL), Alvaro Sousa (POR), Marat Filippov (RUS), Ignacio Marron Moya (ESP) and Carine Charlier (FRA) will assist the discussions and decision-making in the Executive Committee, in addition to the Technical Committee Presidents.

At the head of the Technical Committees, we welcome Andrey Fedarau (BLR) for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, Mairead Kavanagh (IRL) for Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, Eliso Bedoshvili (CYP) for Rhythmic Gymnastics, Babette Van Wetering (NED) for Trampoline Gymnastics, Ricardo Lima (POR) for Gymnastics for All, Melanie Sanders (GBR) for Acrobatic Gymnastics, Alina Dragan (ROU) for Aerobic Gymnastics and Bianca Franzoi (AUT) for TeamGym.

* Important to note that due to the decision of the General Assembly on day 1 the elected officials of Russia and Belarus cannot take up their function until further notice.

Here’s the complete overview :

President

Dr. Farid Gayibov (AZE)

 

Vice-President

Ismail Göktekin (TUR)

Tom Thingvold (NOR)

Sabrina Klaesberg (GER)

 

Executive Committee

Marta Pagnini (ITA)

Natalja Inno (EST)

Ciaran Gallagher (IRL)

Alvaro Sousa (POR)

Marat Filippov (RUS)*

Ignacio Marron Moya (ESP)

Carine Charlier (FRA)

 

Technical Committees

Men’s Artistic Gymnastics

President - Andrey Fedarau (BLR)*

Pablo Carriles (ESP)

Diego Lazzarich (ITA)

James May (GBR)

Ilan Gazit (ISR)

Ahmed Adly Abdalla (SWE)

Raymond Nankoe (NED)

 

Women’s Artistic Gymnastics

President – Mairead Kavanagh (IRL)

Maria Cocuzza (ITA)

Angela Gabriela Cacoveanu (ROU)

Fabienne Ringler (FRA)

Jonna Salonen (FIN)

Martina Koleva-Castelletti (SUI)

Valérie Van Cauwenberghe (BEL)

 

Rhythmic Gymnastics

President – Eliso Bedoshvili (GEO)

Hristiana Todorova (BUL)

Isabelle De Cossio (FRA)

Vesna Radonic (MNE)

Saila Pitkänen (FIN)

Nataliia Ieromina (UKR)

Ariel Milanesio (GER)

 

Trampoline Gymnastics

President – Babette Van Wetering (NED)

Francesca Beltrami (ITA)

Joao Marques (POR)

Jenny Söderlund (SWE)

Andrew Coulter (IRL)

Anette Dalsten Hansen (DEN)

Remo Curcuruto (SUI)

 

Gymnastics for All

President – Ricardo Lima (POR)

Ruslan Eyvazov (AZE)

Emiliana Polini (ITA)

Agnes Hartmann (GER)

Lasse Hauser (NOR)

Valérie Grandjean (FRA)

Marina Maeder (SUI)

 

Acrobatic Gymnastics

President – Melanie Sanders (GBR)

Katarzyna Majewska-Kasprzak (POL)

Kim Bruggeman (BEL)

Ian De Schoenmacker (SUI)

Wladislav Ljubimov (GER)

Eva Mauriceau-Pioline (FRA)

Lucilia Rodrigues (POR)

 

Aerobic Gymnastics

President – Alina Dragan (ROU)

Dimitrina Kandeva (BUL)

Sara Moreno (ESP)

Monica Maria Darone (ITA)

Dimitrios Polyzos (GRE)

Viktorija Treigyte (LTU)

Laetitia Lenclos (FRA)

 

TeamGym

President – Bianca Franzoi (AUT)

Emil Deckner (SWE)

Gabriel Fortes (POR)

Bergthora Kristin Ingvarsdottir (ISL)

Kim Mortensen (DEN)

Tron Lunde (NOR)

Peter Tranckle (GBR)

 

Control Authority

President – Catalin Manu (ROU)

Natalija Prokofjeva (LAT)

Silvia Ruscinova (SVK)

 

Medical Commission

President – Odysseas Paxinos (GRE)

Pierre Billard (FRA)

Filipa Fernandes (POR)

Gérald Gremion (SUI)

Yigitcan Karanfil (TUR)

Goran Vrgoc (CRO)

 

These newly elected authorities will take office on 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2029. Congratulations! Of course, we also want to thank the outgoing authorities for their input and dedication over many years.

The host of the next Congress has not been decided yet. The General Assembly voted to leave the decision to the Executive Committee.

Thank you to the Czech Gymnastics Federation for hosting this 31^st Congress and the professionalism of its staff and volunteers.