The FIG (now World Gymnastics) Power Map was created to make sense of the complex and opaque structures that are used to govern the sport of gymnastics, at the international level.

Based on the most recent available figures from 2023, the FIG map examines finances, who funds the sport, where revenue comes from, and whether money reaches gymnasts.

The map was researched and designed by Kevin Howard in response to a commission from G4CI; in the process of the commission, it became clear that understanding the organisation’s structure was just as crucial as exploring how money flows through the organisation.

Gymnastics is global, multi-disciplinary, and historically hierarchical. This complexity can obscure the reality of who makes decisions, who benefits financially from the sport, and how athlete welfare is prioritised.

The map exposes the gap between the gymnasts who create value, and the institutions that extract it. World Gymnastics controls millions in revenue, sits on vast assets, and sets the rules for the sport, yet an outrageously small amount of this money is being used to protect athletes and prevent abuse in the sport. Instead the map shows how safeguarding at World Gymnastics is chronically underfunded and under-prioritised.

By mapping committees, federations, and funding flows, the map reveals where power and influence truly lie, who defines what “world-class” gymnastics means, and whose voices are excluded.

Visualising these structures, the map highlights how decision-making directly affects poor athlete safety and wellbeing in the sport. Even based on 2023 figures, it provides a crucial lens for understanding accountability, directing resources, and creating a sport where gymnasts can thrive, not just perform.