The 61-year-old, currently vice-president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and deputy chairman of the Belarusian Gymnastics Association, was presented with a certificate during the FIG Trampoline World Cup in Minsk.

The event at the Minsk Arena was an official test event for the European Games, due to take place between June 21 and 30, where she was head judge. 

Kim received her certificate from George Katulin, chief executive of Minsk 2019. 

"I am grateful for this honour," Kim said.

"Being named a star ambassador of the second European Games is additional responsibility since it is important to convey to people objective, complete and the most truthful information possible about these major competitions.

"Now, having received a certificate and this top title, I see my role as advertising the Games even more proactively. 

"For me, it is important to do this because the Games will take place in our Republic and the Games programme will include artistic gymnastics, in which I am a judge."

Kim, born in Tajikistan, was the second woman in Olympic history behind Romania's Nadia Comăneci to earn a perfect 10 score and the first woman to score it on the vault and on the floor exercise.

She won three Olympic gold medals at Montreal 1976 and two at Moscow 1980.

Kim also won five World Championship gold medals during her distinguished career. 

She joins a number of other star ambassadors announced by Minsk 2019, including Russia's Olympic figure skating gold medallist Alexei Yagudin and Belarus' four-time Olympic biathlon champion Darya Domracheva.