Bulgaria hosts first global judging course for Down syndrome gymnastics

Bulgaria has become the first country in the world to host a specialized international course for the certification of judges in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics for athletes with Down syndrome.

The course trained the first licensed judges who completed a program developed in accordance with the international standards of the Down Syndrome International Gymnastics Organization (DSIGO), CE Report quotes BTA.

The training was led by international experts Tullio Bani, Luisa Vagliviello, and Virna Duca, together with Bulgarian lecturers Marina Grozdanova, Zdravko Kurtev, and Irina Karcheva. Slav Petkov, a member of the DSIGO Council and president of FAFA Bulgaria, played an active role in ensuring scoring accuracy and coordinating the judging panels.

All participants who successfully completed the course received international DSIGO certificates, granting them the right to officiate at national and international championships for athletes with Down syndrome. The certificates were personally presented by DSIGO President Ensar Kurt.

The training program was organized by DSIGO, with support from the Sports Union for Athletes with Down Syndrome (SUDS) and in partnership with the Federation for Adapted Physical Activity – Bulgaria (FAPA Bulgaria). The course was held with the support of the Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation and the Bulgarian Gymnastics Federation, as part of the "Social Innovations" project of the Sofia Municipality.

This initiative marks an important step in preparations for the World Championship for Athletes with Down Syndrome, to be held in June 2026 in Bulgaria, with the support of SUDS and DSIGO.