Bruno Grandi

Bruno Grandi was a sportsman and very much part of the history of gymnastics in Italy. Born in Forlì, he was a good gymnast in his youth, and joined the club Unione Sportiva Forti e Liberi, where such talents as Olympians Littorio Sampieri and Maurizio Montesi were developed. After finishing his active career, Grandi began studying the science of gymnastics, and also qualified as an international judge.

Grandi served as professor of physical education and gymnastics and was later coach of the Italian youth team in Roma and, from 1969-77, was technical director of the senior national Italian gymnastics team and took them to two Olympics in 1972 and 1976. In 19 March 1977 Grandi became President of the Italian Gymnastics Federation (FIG) until 2000. During that time he was honoured with the presidency of the International Gymnastics Federation in July 1996, after 20 years of Yury Titov’s tenure in the post.

Grandi also served the International Federation for 20 years, until succeeded by Japan’s Morinari Watanabe at the 2016 Tokyo Congress. Immediately following the controversies and disputes at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Grandi developed a new scoring system that was favoured by the majority of Federation members, but many fans and athletes campaigned against it because it changed the “Perfect 10”. The new rules made it possible for more nations to achieve success in gymnastics, particularly in women’s events. Under Grandi’s leadership, the Federation also imposed a minimum age limit of 16 for female competitors and 18 for males. He also introduced trampolining into the Olympic programme at Sydney in 2000.

A member of the council of the Olympic Italian Committee (CONI) from 1981, Grandi was vice-president from 1987, and president in the years 1998-99 at a time when the CONI was fragile following the resignation of the president Mario Pescante after the doping scandal in Italian football. Grandi was co-opted onto the International Olympic Committee in 2000 for the Sydney Olympics and remained until 2004 when he reached the age limit of 70 years. In 2001 he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. He was later made an honorary president of both the world and Italian gymnastic associations. He was also an honorary professor of the University of Milano for many years. After a whole life dedicated to gymnastics, Grandi died at 85 in his hometown Forlì, but his legacy will remain forever within the sport.