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Gymnastics fans recently expressed their dissent toward FIG, the worldwide governing body for gymnastics, following the new live-streaming model ahead of the Apparatus World Cup 2024.
The first of the four halts of the World Cup is scheduled from February 15 to 18 in Cairo, Egypt, with more than 300 athletes competing from 71 countries. FIG launched a new model of pay-per-view live streaming, allowing fans to watch events of their choice after paying for access to a specific event.
With the Olympics approaching and the implementation of the new model, fans expressed their discontent.
"BAD news for all gymnastics fans!" one fan wrote.
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Another fan expressed that putting a paywall during a crucial year will hinder the sport's growth, saying:
"Hiding World Cups behind a pay wall in an Olympic year is definitely not how you grow the sport."
"In an Olympic year have decided the way to grow interest in their sport is to put the competition for the final few Olympic spots behind a pay wall and share qualification routines after the event is over. Make it make sense," wrote another fan.
The new policy will be available in selected regions with the only exception being the host country. A fan criticized this feature, commenting:
"for all gymnastics fans!’ except for those living in regions where its geoblocked and those can’t afford to spend ridiculous amounts of money PER FINAL."
“Good news for all gymnastics fans” and it’s terrible news. why don’t you do something useful for the sport like stream qualifications instead of make it increasingly inaccessible for people who want to watch," wrote another fan.
Here are a few other reactions:
Athletes to look forward to at the Apparatus World Cup 2024
Following Cairo, the four-stop Apparatus World Cup will then move to Cottbus, Germany, (February 22-25), Baku, Azerbaijan, (March 7-10), and Doha, Qatar, (April 17-20). All four editions of the World Cup will serve as the qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics, approaching within six months.
The 2020 Olympic gold medalist in the uneven bars, Nina Derwael will be seen competing on beam and floor in Cairo after recovering from a shoulder injury. Shin Jeahwan, 2020 Olympic gold medalist in the vault will also compete in Egypt.
The 2023 Junior World champions, including Angel Barajas from Columbia and Mia Mainardi from Argentina, will make their senior international debuts at the Apparatus World Cup.
The 2023 Asian Games gold medallist in Vault and Uneven Bars, An Chang Ok, will compete at her first World Cup since 2019.
2023 FIG World Cup Vault champion, Oksana Chusovitina, will be seen competing at the Apparatus World Cup to earn a spot for the Paris Olympics. If Chusovitina qualifies, she will compete at the Olympics for the ninth time.
