Current National Spanish Masculine Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion, Gerard Lopez
That’s a question with a controversial answer. Since its inception, rhythmic gymnastics has typically been a sport only practiced by women. We were not used to seeing boys performing rhythmic exercises.
In 2005, the Royal Spanish Federation allowed men to compete at the national level, but in a special category, called “Open”. Later in 2013, men were allowed to compete in National Championships.
Since its inception, rhythmic gymnastics has typically been a sport only practiced by women.
Currently, F.I.G. approves Men’s Rhythmic Gymnastics (Men’s RG, MRG), which is an artistic sport that combinates acrobatics synchronization moves. These sport doesn’t include the same apparatus as female Rhythmic Gymnastics. Particularly in Europe, some male rhythmic gymnasts who perform in the same way as their female counterparts. They are, however, not eligible to participate in any major competition. There is also a increasing number of international Rhythmic Gymnastics judges which are men.
Ariel Milanesio, International Rhythmic Gymnastics Judge
L’Association de Défense de l’Égalité Hommes-Femmes en Gymnastique Rythmique (GR-ADE) is a french non profit organisation created on August 2018.
This project was suggested by the presidency of the Île-de-France region (the organizing region of the Paris Olympics 2024) and supported by the french State Secretariat for gender equality and the Fight against Discrimination. It was then Implemented by Peterson Ceus (french masculine rhythmic gymnast).
Its missions :
– Defend gender diversity within Rhythmic Gymnastics (now closed discipline to men), allowing access of boys at all levels of competition (national and international).
– Fight against discriminatory behaviors in this sport.
– Convince institutions, medias, and broadly speaking, the public of the interest of establishing equality between men and women within Rhythmic Gymnastics.
The ultimate goal is to ensure an official gender equality in the competition programs of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and, to promote the opening of the discipline to men at the Olympic Games, in particular those of Paris in 2024.
Source: GR ADE on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/GYMR.ADE/
Contact: gymr.ade@gmail.com or info@gr-ade.com
Peterson Ceus (FRA)
