The 2012 Paris World Cup, also known as the French International, has been cancelled due to a lack of top gymnasts promising to attend, according to a communication from the International Gymnastics Federation earlier this week.
Attracting the best in the world has been a particular point of pride for meet organizers, who had scheduled the competition for March 17-18 at the Palais Omnisports de Bercy in the heart of the city. With the Olympics imminent and the Pacific Rim Championships being held the same weekend, it's possible that the top countries did not want to commit themselves to Paris, attractive as the meet is.
What a shame! The cancellation is a blow to the French Gymnastics Federation, which organizes the event, as well as fans and gymnasts, who loved competing before the always-energetic French crowds. The knowledge and enthusiasm of those fans, who decked themselves in red, white and blue and cheered lustily as gymnasts (especially French gymnasts) ran down the vault runway, was mind-blowing. 15,000 plus would show up for each day of competition. After competing at the 2010 French International, Jonathan Horton declared that the Parisian atmosphere was exactly what was needed at U.S. competitions.
Earlier this year, Aliya Mustafina looked at the height of her abilities as she won vault, bars and beam at the French International. Looking back, it was an especially sweet performance given what happened two weeks later at the European Championships. At the time I thought that if Berlin was indeed the end of her career, at least she would always have Paris.
Here's the FIG's release:
Lausanne (SUI) / FIG offfice, December 21, 2011: We regret to inform you that the French Gymnastics Federation (FFG) has canceled the World Cup competitions in gymnastics on the 17 and March 18 in Paris-Bercy.
In his letter dated December 19, 2011, FFG President Jacques Rey deplored the non participation of the best gymnasts from Japan, Russia and the United States qualified for the event. Indeed, for many devices, only half of the gymnasts were registered in time and among the top three gymnasts per apparatus, half would not have been represented in Paris.
The FFG and its President Jacques Rey are sorry to see that the minimum conditions for sustainability of this World Cup have not been met and that a cancellation was necessary.
We regret the sad news fell as a result of a year rich and dramatic. However, we take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2012.
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