FIG on 2020 Olympic qualification

The new system may be an improvement. But it’s been very, very badly received so far.

In a new post – some might call it “damage control” – FIG tries to clarify and answer some of the many questions.

FIG:

During its annual meeting over the weekend in Melbourne (AUS), the FIG Council approved a new system of Olympic qualification that will alter how teams and how individuals can qualify to the Games beginning with the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo (JPN). The proposal, borne of the FIG Executive Committee, passed by a margin of 29 for and 7 against, with 1 abstention.

In order to facilitate understanding of some of the finer points of the newly adopted system, here are a few questions and answers about the new system and its implications for the sport:

The new format will actually allow more gymnasts from countries with deep national teams to compete at the Olympic Games, not less. … At present, only five gymnasts per country can compete at the Olympics. Beginning in 2020, up to six gymnasts per country can qualify to compete at the Olympic Games.…

A: The top three teams from the 2018 World Championships will be awarded team berths to the Olympic Games. The top nine teams (not including those already qualified) from the 2019 World Championships will also advance, forming the 12 teams who will compete in the team event. …

Q: Are the Olympic places gained at the World Cups nominative?

A: No. The places gained through the World Cups will be gained for the National Federation, who will then be able to nominate a gymnast to take the spot.

Q: So the Olympic Test Event will no longer be an Olympic qualification event?

A: Correct. …

Q: What are the benefits of tying the Olympic qualifying process to the World Cups and Continental Championships?

A: The buzz generated by what’s at stake will also increase the prestige of the World Cups and Continential Championships, and the prestige of the sport in general. More Olympic qualification events will likely to translate to more TV coverage and more buzz surrounding deserving gymnasts on their road to the Olympics. …

Q: Only the World Cups and Continental Championships during the Olympic year will be Olympic qualifiers, right?

A: Correct. …

Q: Shouldn’t more gymnasts have the right to compete at the Games, given that Gymnastics is one of three top-tier sports (along with Swimming and Track and Field) at the Olympics?

A: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sets the number of participants for each sport at the Olympic Games. It has allocated 98 spots for Men’s Gymnastics and 98 Spots for Women’s Gymnastics, in addition to 60 spots for Rhythmic Gymnastics and 24 spots for Trampoline Gymnastics.

While the FIG would love to have more gymnasts competing at the Olympic Games (in all disciplines, including Acrobatic and Aerobic Gymnastics!), the IOC is the organization that decides how many gymnasts get to compete, and from which disciplines. …

Q: Does this new system benefit smaller countries?

A: In theory, it does make the team competition tighter. Many countries who have difficulty coming up with five Olympic gymnasts for a five-person team competition have a much better shot at making a team final under the new system. If you’re a nation that has been on the bubble of Olympic team qualification, you have reasons to like this system.

The tradeoff for the stronger countries is that they get to have up to two extra gymnasts competing for medals at the Olympic Games …

Q and A on the new Olympic qualification system in Gymnastics

I’d love to see 36 competitors in the AA for both MAG and WAG rather than 24.

Lauren Hopkins, initially against the change, moderated her position after getting more details. Must read. Gymternet – The Problem with “Unfair”.

Lauren has specifics I’d not yet seen anywhere else:

… in 2020 … 48 all-around spots for teams, while the remaining 50 will go to individuals who prove they are most able to contend for a final.

Of these 50 spots, 31 will include all-arounders from non-team countries (23 qualify at Worlds in 2019, 3 at World Cups in 2020, and 9 at continental championships in 2020). One spot will go to the host country, one will be a “tripartite commission invitation” spot, and then 16 will be set aside for specialists (12 of whom will qualify from Worlds in 2019 and then 4 of whom qualify from World Challenge Cups in the Olympic year).

These changes mean that countries once given just one Olympic qualification spot now have as many as three spots between the all-around and event specialists. …

I could see Maroney missing Rio under the current system, but qualifying for Tokyo. For example. 🙂