Swiss founder of European Gymnastics Union dies

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -Pierre Chabloz, founder of the European Gymnastics Union and former secretary general of the Swiss Olympic Committee, died Thursday after being hospitalized for several weeks with an unspecified illness. He would have been 92 next Tuesday.

The Web sites of the International Gymnastics Federation, UEG and Swiss Olympic Committee announced his death.

After serving as president of Switzerland's Federal Gymnastics Society from 1973 to 1979, Chabloz founded the European Gymnastics Union in 1982 and was its president until 1993. The UEG has grown from 15 national federations to 47, has 10 million members and now hosts European Championships in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, sports acrobatics and sports aerobics.

Chabloz's work in the gymnastics community led to his involvement with the Swiss Olympic Committee, where he was the secretary general from 1981 to 1985. He was Switzerland's chef de mission for the Sarajevo Games in 1984.

Chabloz also was a member of the Swiss Olympic Committee from 1973 to 1981.

In 1994, Chabloz was made an honorary member of the International Gymnastics Federation. He was the UEG's honorary president until his death.