BAKU TO HOST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN RHYTMIC GYMNASTICS

Rhythmic gymnastics federations of 48 countries have applied for participation in the world championship tournament, to be hosted in Baku this autumn.

The Azerbaijan rhythmic gymnastics federation told Trend that in accordance with the agenda of the event, the capital city would start receiving national teams from the end of September. The championship will take place

in Sports-Concerts Hall [named after Heydar Aliyev] October 3 through 9.

Three female gymnasts вЂ" Dinara Gimatova, Anna Gurbanova and Vafa Husseinova вЂ" will present Azerbaijan in single contest, with the national group team also participating.

Among major favorites of the championship are gymnasts and national teams of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, with Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Spain, Greece and Italy trailing behind.

Also, in the framework of the event, there will be held a meeting of the Commission of Gymnasts, October 7 to 8, and a meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation, October 10 to 11, to discuss changes in the rules and procedures of championships in rhythmic gymnastics in the run up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.