Athens, 20 August 2004, Games of the XXVIII Olympiad. Women's gymnastics, trampoline: Karen COCKBURN of Canada competes during the qualification routine at the Olympic Sports Complex Indoor Hall. Credit: Getty Images/Jamie Squire

A perfect fusion of athletics and aesthetics, gymnastics ranks among the defining sports of the Olympic Games.

As of 1 January 1999, trampoline became a discipline of gymnastics at the Olympic Games.

Trampoline gymnastics debuted at the Sydney 2000 Games featuring both men's and women's individual events. The Russian Federation took home two gold medals at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as Alexander Moskalenko and Irina Karavaeva were crowned with gold medals

Trampoline competitions are open to both men and women.

Discipline's origin

When gymnastics began in ancient Greece more than 2000 years ago, the gymnasium was the centre of cultural activity. Men gathered there not only to practise sport, but to understand art, music and philosophy. The Greeks believed symmetry between the mind and body was possible only when physical exercise was coupled with intellectual activity.

Today, gymnastics is often termed the ultimate combination of sport and art, but the idea is nothing new. Plato, Aristotle and Homer heartily advocated the strengthening qualities of gymnastic activity. It is a philosophy that can be found in much of their work.

The term "artistic gymnastics" emerged in the early 1800s to distinguish free-flowing styles from the techniques used by the military. Although viewed as a novelty by many, gymnastics competitions began to flourish in schools, athletic clubs and various organisations across Europe in the 1880s. When the Olympic movement was resurrected at Athens in 1896, gymnastics made a fitting return.

Olympic history

As of 1 January 1999, trampoline became a discipline of gymnastics at the Olympic Games. Trampoline competitions for both men and women were added to the Olympic programme and made their debut during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Rules

There are individual competitions (qualifications and finals) for men and women.

In principle, the duration of the event is 2 days. Entry for these competitions is restricted by qualification.

Trampoline, Tumbling and Double Mini-Trampoline competitions (qualifications and finals) are held in the following disciplines:

Trampoline Men's Synchro

Trampoline Women's Synchro

Tumbling Men's Individual

Tumbling Women's Individual

Double Mini-Trampoline Men's Individual

Double Mini-Trampoline Women's Individual

The entry for these competitions is restricted by qualification.

In the event of un-sportsmanlike conduct by any competitor or official, the Chair of Judges Panel and/or Superior Jury, and/or the official FIG Representative, will issue a warning. He will inform the Head of Delegation at the end of the round as to any warning so issued.

In the event of repeated misconduct, the Chair of Judges Panel and/or Superior Jury, and/or the official FIG Representative, may order the expulsion of the offender from the competition hall for the remainder of the competition.

An incident resulting in expulsion must be reported to the Secretary General and to the offender's Federation. Further action may be taken as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee or Disciplinary Commission.

Dressing and undressing during competitions and warm-up periods in the designated competition area, is judged as an un-sportsmanlike gesture and may result in disqualification of the competitor from that competition.

The members of the TC Trampoline Gymnastics shall officiate as judges. The missing number of judges are appointed by the TC TRA. The host country of the Olympic Games has the right to nominate one judge in good standing and with a valid brevet.

All Finals in competitions under FIG authority in TRA, TU and DMT can be conducted either as described under these special regulations or as a "knockout" competition, where the gymnasts of the top first half of the finalists

compete head to head in a single voluntary against the gymnasts of the second half of the finalists and so on, until the last two gymnasts compete against each other for first place or the remaining gymnasts after a first head to head round compete for title and remaining places in a second voluntary.

This kind of Final has to be agreed by the FIG TC Trampoline, the FIG EC and t