CANCUN, Mexico, Oct. 26, 2012 – Peter Vidmar of San Clemente, Calif., chairman of the Board for USA Gymnastics and 1984 Olympic gold medalist, was elected today to the Executive Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation during the FIG’s 79th Congress and General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico. Steve Butcher of Knoxville, Tenn., was voted in as president of the Technical Committee for men’s gymnastics, the first American to hold this post. In addition, three more Americans were re-elected to their respective positions: Caroline Hunt of Indianapolis, Ind., member of the Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee; Ron Froehlich of Birmingham, Ala., auditor; and Tonya Case of Yucaipa, Calif., member of the Acrobatic Gymnastics Technical Committee.
The Executive Committee is the decision-making body for the FIG, and Vidmar was one of seven voted to the EC. As the president of a Technical Committee, Butcher is also a member of the Executive Committee. The Technical Committees oversee and administer the rules, regulations and governance of the respective sport discipline for the FIG.
This is the first FIG office for Vidmar, who was elected chairman of USA Gymnastics in 2008. Vidmar has been very active on committees and boards for both USA Gymnastics and other sports organizations, including vice president of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (2004-12), vice chairman of the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (2004-12), U.S. Olympic Committee ambassador (2007-12), Board of Directors/Executive Committee/Athletes Advisory Committee chair for USA Gymnastics (1985-92 and 1996-2000), and Board of Directors/Executive Board of the U.S. Olympic Committee (1985-87). As an athlete, he was a member of the U.S. Men’s Team that won the team gold medal at the1984 Olympic Games, as well as won the gold medal for the pommel horse and the silver for the all-around. His athletic achievements also include two-time U.S. all-around champion, 1983 American Cup champion and 1979 World team bronze medalist.
Butcher was elected as a member of the Men’s Technical Committee in 2008 and served as secretary for the last four years. Butcher is an FIG Brevet men’s judge (1989-2012), and has worked as both coach and international competition administrator for nearly three decades. He was a member of the USA Gymnastics Men’s Program Committee from 2000-12. From 2007-12, Butcher was a technical delegate and apparatus supervisor at two Olympic Games, four World Championships, two Pan American Games and the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. He was also a USA Gymnastics elite clinician from 2002-12, where he coached and judged U.S. national team gymnasts.
Hunt first was elected as a Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee member in 2009 and served as secretary and Superior Jury member the last four years. She has attended and worked at the Olympic Games, World Championships and Youth Olympic Games for the FIG. She has also served as the technical director for the 2008-12 Pacific Alliance Championships and was the team leader for the USA at the 2007 and 2011 Pan American Games. Hunt is also an FIG Honorary Coaches’ Brevet. She coached World and national team members from 1998-2003 and served on the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors from 2004-07. As a gymnast from 1987-96, Hunt was a member of the national team, won the U.S. clubs title and competed at the World Championships and Goodwill Games.
First elected to the Acrobatic Gymnastics Technical Committee in 2000,Case served the last quadrennium as president of the Technical Committee, was the acting president from 2006-08, and was the first vice president from 2004-08. Case was also very active in efforts to establish acro in more than 18 countries. Prior to acrobatic gymnastics joining the FIG, she was a member of the International Federation of Sports Acrobatics Executive Committee. Case also served as a coach, judge, head of delegation or member of the Superior Jury at more than 50 international competitions from 1988-2008. She was a member of the USA Gymnastics Executive Committee from 2002-08.
Froehlich has 50 years of experience serving in the financial sector of competitive gymnastics. With the FIG, Froehlich served as an Executive Board Member from 1999-2000 before taking on the role of auditor, a position he has held since 2000. He was awarded the International Olympic Committee Olympic Order in 2010 in recognition of his years of service that included serving on the IOC Program Commission, IOC Commission for the Promotion of the Olympic Movement, Sport Accord, International World Games Association, Association of Recognized International Sports Federations and the International Trampoline Federation. Froehlich was the chairman of the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors from 2000-08 and was named Chairman Emeritus in 2008.
Elections for office for the FIG are held every four years, following the conclusion of the Olympic Games.