Section 8: Safety Considerations
Athlete safety is a primary obligation of the FIG, National Federations, and competition organizers. The FIG has adopted several frameworks and regulations addressing safety, as described in the FIG Technical Regulations, the FIG Safe Sport Policy, and the FIG Medical Commission Guidelines.
Apparatus Safety Standards
- All apparatus must be FIG-certified and inspected prior to each competition day by the Technical Delegate or designated apparatus inspector. Apparatus showing signs of structural fatigue, damaged padding, or improper adjustment must be replaced or repaired before competition resumes.
- Landing mats must be inspected for proper positioning, thickness, and interlocking integrity before each session. A minimum mat thickness of 0.20 m is required for all landing zones. Soft/safety mats (Reuther mats) adjacent to the vault and dismount zones must not have gaps between mat sections exceeding 0.01 m (1 cm).
- Horizontal bar wires and cable attachments must be tensioned and verified by a certified apparatus technician before each competition. The FIG Technical Regulations require a minimum of two safety cables with redundancy. Bar sag under loading must not exceed permitted tolerances specified by the apparatus manufacturer and FIG certification standards.
- The springboard (Reuther board) used for vault must be inspected before each session. A worn or cracked springboard must be replaced. The board must be secured to the runway surface (e.g., via grip mats) to prevent slipping during vaulting.
Spotting and Warm-Up Safety
- Coaches are permitted and encouraged to provide manual spotting (physical assistance) during warm-up and podium training. Spotting is not permitted during competition routines except in cases of emergency to prevent serious injury.
- During competition, if a coach enters the competition area to prevent a gymnast from falling or being seriously injured, the physical safety action is recognized as emergency assistance. The routine may continue; however, a neutral deduction (0.30) is applied for coach floor entry, and the relevant elements may be downgraded or declared unrecognized per D judge assessment.
- FIG-affiliated gyms and competition venues must maintain a minimum safety equipment inventory including safety harnesses for overhead spotting on trampoline and developmental bar/beam work at training level, per FIG Safe Gymnastics guidelines (FIG Safe Sport and Medical Commission, 2022 guidelines).
Medical Staff and Emergency Procedures
- Per FIG Technical Regulations, Article 9 (Medical Services): Every FIG competition must have at least one qualified medical physician and at least one physiotherapist on-site during competition and official training sessions.
- A designated medical treatment area must be accessible from the competition floor without traversing the competition area, if possible.
- An automated external defibrillator (AED) must be available at the competition venue and within reach of the competition floor within 3 minutes.
- If a gymnast is injured during a routine, the routine is suspended. Competition management signals all activity to pause. The medical team has unrestricted access to the athlete. The gymnast may, at the discretion of the medical staff and the FIG Technical Delegate, be permitted to re-perform the routine within the remaining competition session time if medically cleared and if competition regulations allow (FIG Technical Regulations, Article 9.3 — Injury Protocol).
- All injuries at FIG World Championships and Olympic Games must be reported to the FIG Medical Commission using the official injury report form within 24 hours of the incident.
Safe Sport and Athlete Protection
- The FIG adopted the FIG Safe Sport Policy (revised 2020, with subsequent updates) establishing zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, and misconduct in gymnastics. The policy applies to all FIG-affiliated athletes, coaches, judges, and officials.
- National Federations are required to implement Safe Sport programs aligned with FIG policy, including a Safe Sport officer, reporting mechanisms, and educational programs for athletes and coaches.
- The FIG established the FIG Athletes' Committee as an official body providing athlete representation in governance decisions, including safety and welfare matters.
- The FIG complies with the IOC Safeguarding Policy for all Olympic-related events and upholds the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Athlete Rights, and the Olympic Charter as they relate to athlete welfare.
- Training regimens involving athletes under 18 are subject to specific FIG guidance limiting training hours and requiring rest periods appropriate to athlete development stages, as detailed in the FIG Development Programs documentation.
Anti-Doping
The FIG is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code. Athletes at FIG competitions are subject to in-competition and out-of-competition testing. All gymnasts competing at World Championships and Olympic Games are included in the registered testing pool. Prohibited substances and methods are defined by the WADA Prohibited List (updated annually, effective January 1 each year). Violations are adjudicated per the FIG Anti-Doping Rules and may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.