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Date Posted: 18:42:00 04/13/07 Fri
Author: BC
Subject: Re: LG International
In reply to: Sandy 's message, "Re: LG International" on 10:03:58 04/11/07 Wed

I attended the international in Stoke and I am sure that it benefited the girls enormously to compete before a home crowd. It is unfortunate that it was on Easter weekend but if that was the ony weekend available then let us hope that if there is another competition next year that it is on a different date. I know of many people who would like to have attended but could not because of family committments. I do not think people should be critisied for not attending.

Several things struck me however. Firstly there were more international gymnasts and many of a higher standard at Canterbury and to a lesser extent at St Helens last year. Which I think does emphasise the enormous job they did! and yet nobody from British Gymnastics attended either event.!I thought at the time it was scandelous that Nadia did not attend Canterbury given it was the first international in GB for several years.

Secondly how were the British gymnasts selected?? It seemed to me that it was just the gymnasts in squad. In any other sport there would be a competition to decide who is to represent GB or the results of the last British Comp would stand - if there had been a competition recently. To exclude Mercedes, Luisa and Kerry was scandelous. If there is to be a GB competition then we need to be sure that we are represented by the best.

RG needs to decide whether it is a sport or an art. If sport then 1st past the post wins - obvously not literaly but whoever has the highest score in competition wins. Not the gymnast with the most potential or who has the nicest parents.

It is good that LG is sponsoring gymnastics but it will only be up to 2012 - after there is likely to be huge cuts in funding for sport generally and in particular for sports where we do not win medals. Being realistic we are unlikely to win a medal at RG at 2012 - so after 2012 there will be enormous cuts - so the sport needs to capitalise on the money available now. This means it must clean up its act.It is important that when selecting for GB - which all the girls want - that it is seen as fair - it currently is not.
If there had been an under 12 competion - last years under 11 -I presume we could have had the absurd situation of being represented by gymnasts who came 5th and 6th in British - which is madness! - Rachel 1st, Marnie 3rd did not get into squad and Aimee 2nd and Molly 4th did not try for squad.

If under 10 - last years under 9 - I presume the gymnast who was British champion would not compete.

At Canterbury all the British girls competed on 1 day and top 3 on each apparatus got to go through to next day - so it was fair - I know it was a club competion - but I do not see why there cannot be a fairer system of selecting for GB team.

There was something similar at St Helens but cannot recall what it was.

For many of us it is unlikely that the olympics will come to the UK again in our lifetime.RG needs to capitalise on the interest in sport and the funds. It is a fantastic window of opportunity. After 2012 what we want is not only a higher standard internationally but more girls in the sport.

Time is short.

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