Bruno Grandi (9 May 1934 – 13 September 2019) was an Italian gymnastics official best known for his two-decade presidency of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). Serving as FIG president from 1996 to 2016, he was a central figure in international gymnastics governance, widely associated with major changes to scoring, athlete safety and the sport's technical regulations. He was also a member of the International Olympic Committee between 2000 and 2004.

Early life and career

Born in Forlì, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, Grandi began his involvement in gymnastics at a national level before moving into administration and judging. Over several decades he held positions within the Italian Gymnastics Federation and the FIG technical structures, gaining a reputation as a technically minded official who emphasized rules, judge training and the formalization of competition procedures.

FIG presidency and reforms

Grandi's presidency coincided with a period of intense scrutiny and change for competitive gymnastics. Following judging controversies at major events in the early 2000s, he supported a comprehensive revision of the Code of Points. The new approach separated difficulty from execution and introduced an open-ended component for difficulty scores; this reform aimed to make judging more objective, reward technical risk, and reduce incentives for routine manipulation.

  • Promoted the post-2004 Code of Points structure that distinguished difficulty (D) and execution (E) scores.
  • Encouraged safety improvements and the adoption of updated apparatus or protective measures to reduce injury risk.
  • Advanced judge education, transparency in rule application, and the use of clearer technical regulations.

Controversies and legacy

Grandi's reforms provoked debate. Supporters credit him with modernizing the sport and addressing clear failings in judging; critics argue the open-ended scoring shifted emphasis toward difficulty at the expense of artistry and comparability with past scores. Throughout his tenure he remained a polarizing figure—praised for decisive institutional changes while also attracting criticism from those who preferred traditional scoring philosophies.

After stepping down in 2016, Grandi left a mixed but unmistakable legacy: a sport with a more technical, safety-conscious framework and a judging system that continues to evolve. He died in Italy in 2019 after an illness, aged 85. His impact on gymnastics governance and competition format remains a reference point in discussions about scoring, athlete welfare, and the balance between risk and artistry.

Notable roles:

  1. President, Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (1996–2016).
  2. Member, International Olympic Committee (2000–2004).
  3. Longstanding contributor to judge training and the development of the Code of Points.