Ukraine presented holding of the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship – Kyiv 2020 – to the European Communities of Sport

At the International Congress of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG), held in Sofia on November 15-16, Ukraine presented holding of the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship “Kyiv 2020” to the European Communities of Sport. The Ukrainian capital will be hosting the European Championship from May 21 to May 24, 2020.  

May is the best time to visit Kyiv and to enjoy the special spring atmosphere of the ancient capital. Just two short months before the Olympic Games the world attention will focus on Kyiv, because two final Olympic qualifying places will be decided here in group and individual disciplines. Here we’ll know not only who will be the European champion but also who are the main contenders for the Olympic glory. “Where better to hold the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship than here in Ukraine where every schoolgirl dreams of following in the footsteps of Iryna Deriugina and making this world glow,” said the Director of the European Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championship Olga Danko at the UEG meeting.

She recalled that Ukraine has a huge experience in hosting such international events. Thus, the European Championship in Rhythmic Gymnastics was already held in Kyiv in 2004; and in 2013, the World Championship in this sport was also held here. Ukraine also hosted 24 “Deriugina Cups”, World Cups and Grand Prix.

At the meeting of the Union Européenne de Gymnastique (UEG), Ukraine was represented by: the President of the Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation (UGF) Oleksandr Sukhomlin, First Vice President of the UGF Iryna Deriugina, Director of the Rhythmic Gymnastics European Championship “Kyiv-2020” Olga Danko, as well as Member of the UGF Presidium Halyna Kovalchuk

“Ukraine is one of the leading gymnastic states in the world. We are among the trendsetters, and Ukrainian gymnasts are an example for athletes from other countries. I am confident that the competitions in Kyiv will become a new stage in the development of the European and international gymnastics,” said the UGF President Oleksandr Sukhomlin.

The following decisions have been also taken at the meeting of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) in Sofia:

• The name of the organization has been changed to the European Gymnastics (from April 1, 2020).
• Changes to the Organization's Charter have been approved.
• Financial statements for the years 2017 and 2018 have been approved. And the preliminary estimates for 2019 with the budget for 2020 have been approved.
• Three former UEG members have been honored for their service: Halyna Kovalchuk (Ukraine) and Jacki Vishnia (Israel) as honorary members of the organization, and Malin Eggertz Forsmark (Sweden), as UEG honorary vice president.

The next meeting of the General Assembly of the organization will be held in Albufeira (Portugal) in December 2021.