Neues Deutschland. September 16, 1988. At the Technical Congress of the International Gymnastics Federation in Seoul, Ellen Berger was re-elected by a large majority as Chair of the Women's Technical Committee.
Neues Deutschland: For the -th time you have been elected to this position?
Ellen Berger: I have served as Chairwoman since 1976. The election is held every four years, meaning that I have now received the confidence of the congress members for the fourth time. I am particularly pleased that the board members - representing forty-four countries - elected me with such a substantial majority for the first time.
ND: Surely, that reflects the good work that you have done?
EB: There was much praise for the fact that the Technical Committee I led succeeded in tangibly advancing the development of women's gymnastics. We modernized the scoring regulations following a thorough analysis of the most important international competitions; furthermore, the new compulsory exercises were developed - exercises that enjoyed a successful debut last year at the World Championships in Rotterdam. For the first time, the compulsory floor routine was performed to orchestral music. The use of six judges at each apparatus has proven its worth, leading to more nuanced scoring, and the standardized symbolic notation - now mastered by all judges - is also proving highly advantageous, as it virtually eliminates communication difficulties.
ND: Is it a prerequisite for your position to have actively participated in gymnastics yourself?
EB: Yes, I suppose so. I don't know anyone on the board who didn't come up through our sport, and we also place great emphasis on ensuring that former gymnasts - such as Lyudmila Turischeva or our own Steffi Kraker - grow into international roles.
ND: Tell us a little about your gymnastics background?
EB: I remained active until 1952. However, unfortunately, there were no opportunities for us to compete in the Olympics at that time. Since this was, in part, a consequence of the war, I - first as a gymnast, and later as a coach and official - consistently dedicated myself with great commitment to promoting sport as a force for peace. And for this reason, I look back with pride on the forty years during which I actively helped to develop sport in our country in this spirit.