WHO: The best gymnasts from around the world
WHAT: The most important event of the gymnastics year
WHEN: August 31 - September 7
WHERE: Lausanne, Lake Geneva, Switzerland, Malley Center Arena
WHY: To determine the best in the world

[| Changes in Competition |]

Age Limit: Only gymnasts who turn 16 by the end of the calendar year were able to participate in these championships.
Team Sizes: Countries were only allowed 6 athletes per team to compete in the team competition.
Elimination of Compulsories: 1996 was the last year compulsories were used in women's gymnastics. These championships were the first Worlds to not use compulsory exercises.
Competition Format: All teams were to compete in their respectable preliminary sessions. From here, gymnasts qualified into the all-around and event finals. The top 6 teams advanced to the team finals. Team finals were new life since the scores from prelims did not carry over.