Nikolai Makarov: "Great work was done by organizers of Baku World Cup in Trampoline Gymnastics and Tumbling"

The new Olympic cycle’s first World Cup in Trampoline Gymnastics and Tumbling will kick off in Baku on Saturday. 85 trampoline and tumbling gymnasts from 15 countries will take part in the competitions on the basis of the new Code of Points coming into force in 2017. On the eve of the competitions, Vestnik Kavkaza talked with the first vice-president of the FIG Trampoline Technical Committee, President of the Russian Trampoline Federation, Nikolai Makarov.

- What is your impression of the organization of the World Cup in Trampoline Gymnastics and Tumbling in Baku?

- My first impression was that a great job was carried out professionally and thoroughly. All the new competitions will be held, according to the changed rules, for us it is important to see a trampoline to indicate horizontal movements of gymnasts - and I have already sent to the President of the FIG Trampoline Technical Committee a picture of the Baku Arena's design, explaining that it is necessary to install trampolines in such a way everywhere. Everything is great - perfect trampolines, beautiful gymnastics mats. It is evident that people have thoroughly thought the way of presenting the competitions in the best way.

- The European Trampoline Championship will be held at the same arena in Baku next year. Do think the arena is ready for it, or something should be improved?

- After this competition under the new rules, it will be clear. This start in Baku is very interesting as it allows the athletes getting prepared by 2019. Baku  will once again host the World Cup, and this tournament will give licenses for the Olympics 2020. It is important for athletes to arrive two years in advance, to see how they prepare for the competition. Now it is not necessary to improve anything, and it is possible that after the competition there will be no comments.

- How do you assess the changes in the scoring system - have they become more objective?

- The changes are very useful. They relieve the burden from the judges, reduce the number of their duties. The judges are no longer distracted by less important details - which will monitored by other judges, or machines, as we plan, and it will increase the objectivity. If certain shortcomings, due to which it is necessary to reduce the score, were not seen before, now we can see them thanks to the new system. Therefore, it all worked out for the best.

- Have there been any difficulties in connection with the introduction of the new rules?

- Difficulties have arisen from the fact that judges did not know, whether they can apply the new rules, and we could not understand for a long time how we will work here with judges - whether it will be new judges who undergo classes, or something else. Not everyone received information from FIG that we can use the judges from the last cycle from those involved in the judicial seminars this year. It is one of the reasons that many countries did not participate in the World Cup, because now, according to the rules, if a country does not bring a judge, it will pay the fine, and not everyone knew about the possibility of bringing a judge from the last year.