By Jejje Muhinde;
Rwanda Gymnastic Federation (Ferwagy) has been approved as the newest member of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
The FIG Congress issued these approvals to the applications of Rwanda, and four African nations at the Turkish resort during the governing body’s three-day Congress concluded in Antalya early this month.
The approval implies that Ferwagy is definitively granted official status by the FIG to vote at the congress and compete at the continental and international stage.
The Ferwagy was created to inspire the young generation with talents in gymnastics to achieve their potential. In 2018, the first Gymnastic Genocide memorial tournament at club Rafiki
Other African nations include; Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Togo as newest members.
Guam and Haiti also saw their memberships approved.
The FIG said the organization now boasts 156 Federations, with 154 considered affiliated members and two associated members.
Meanwhile, Ehab Amin Esawy was elected the new President of the African Gymnastics Union (UAG) and will take a place on the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Executive Committee as a result.
The Egyptian official replaces Algeria’s Ali Zaater at the helm of the continental body, who ran for re-election but was unsuccessful.
Esawy’s term is set to run from 2022 until 2024. He was voted in during a UAG General Assembly in Antalya in Turkey following the FIG Congress. Esawy is also the President of the Egypt Gymnastics Federation.
Amendments were also made to the FIG statutes, with the organization removing some disciplinary proceedings which are now under the jurisdiction of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation.
The Gymnastics Ethics Foundation was established in 2019, following the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the sport in the United States.
Statue changes also included harmonization of the time delay conditions for all requests for changes of nationality and a decision to make English the only official language used in presentations at the Congress and the main official documents.
