The Code of Points and career development in women’s artistic gymnastics

The premise of this article is that the rules of Women´s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) as outlined in the Code of Points significantly affect the experiences of older gymnasts in both positive and negative ways. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of gymnasts, coaches, and judges on the WAG rules and the body ideals, age and career length in Brazil. We draw on qualitative interviews with a sample of two coaches and seven gymnasts from the Brazilian national team, and four judges with international experience. Both coaches and gymnasts perceived younger bodies to be more responsive to the actual rules requirements regarding difficulty and training demands. On the other hand, older gymnasts were felt to be advantaged due to being able to perform more artistically and with less mistakes. Results will allow both the FIG and the Brazilian Gymnastics Federation to reflect on the way the demands of the Code of Points affect the experiences of gymnasts. As our article finds both the rules and the established WAG culture affect gymnasts, both needs to be considered in order to keep healthy gymnasts in the sport longer. Key words: women’s artistic gymnastics, body ideals, career development, ageing, rules