History of Swiss feminine gymnastics between competition and feminization (1950–1990)

Abstract

Between 1908 and 1985 in Switzerland, there was a clear division between female and male national gymnastics associations. Beyond some links, the two institutions conducted their own policies and promoted their own practices and forms of gymnastics. They made different choices in the 1960s and 1970s, and on the whole female gymnastics saw greater changes and was more innovative, with the emergence of rhythmic gymnastics as a ‘flagship’ competitive discipline, early experiences in modern physical culture and fitness, etc. Across these developments, this article analyses successively the conditions of the preservation of control over female gymnastics in the 1950s, how those gymnasts and the female national association’s leaders used their institutional autonomy to develop many practical innovations and break technical and institutional boundaries during the 1960s and 1970s, before managing the reunification process with male gymnastics, and facing new symbolic boundaries.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Funding

This work was supported by the French National Olympic Academy in 2014. Title of the project: Becoming an Olympic Sport. Comparative History of the Rhythmic Gymnastics in France and in Switzerland (1961–2011).

Notes

1. The first feminine gymnastics clubs from Switzerland opened in 1893 in Zurich (Herzog 1995).

2. This ‘sport’ changed its name many times since its recognition by the international federation in 1961. It was known as ‘modern gymnastics’ from 1961 to 1971, as ‘modern rhythmic gymnastics’ from 1971 to 1973, as ‘sporting rhythmic gymnastics’ from 1975 to 1998 and as ‘rhythmic gymnastics’ since then. For practical reasons and to be well understood, we will use ‘rhythmic gymnastics’ in the whole article.

3. Swiss female gymnasts made their first appearance on the Olympic scene in Munich (1972).

4. At that time, it was not possible for him to go with his team near the carpet as the area was forbidden to men by the IFG’s rules.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the French National Olympic Academy in 2014. Title of the project: Becoming an Olympic Sport. Comparative History of the Rhythmic Gymnastics in France and in Switzerland (1961–2011).