Doha Gymnastics World Cup cancelled due to Middle East conflict
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
The event was scheduled to be held from April 15 to 18.
The 2026 Artistic Apparatus Gymnastics World Cup, which was scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, from April 15 to 18, has been cancelled due to the current situation in the Middle East, the governing body World Gymnastics announced on Friday.
“World Gymnastics reports that, following an urgent online vote and in light of the current situation in the Middle East, its executive committee has decided to cancel the 2026 edition of the Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup in Doha (QAT), scheduled to take place from April 15 to 18,” a statement from World Gymnastics read.
The world governing body also announced that the tournament would not be rescheduled, and the upcoming edition is scrapped.
The Executive Committee has introduced a temporary change to the ranking rules following the disruption. For this season, a gymnast’s top three results out of the five World Cup events will count toward the rankings for each apparatus, regardless of how many events they were able to compete in.
These results will be used to determine both the Apparatus World Cup Series winners and the qualification standings for the World Championships.
Given the exceptional circumstances, this adjustment will not be formally added to the official rulebook. In addition, athletes and federations will not face any penalties for submitting late entries to the upcoming World Cups in Cairo (April 3–6) and Osijek (April 9–12).
Which other competitions were affected due to the West Asia war?
The cancellation of the Gymnastics World Cup is part of a wider disruption across global sport due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Multiple high-profile events have either been cancelled or postponed, including the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Grands Prix, as well as the Finalissima football match between Spain and Argentina in Qatar.
The Qatar MotoGP round has been pushed later in the calendar, while even cricket fixtures and equestrian events in the region have faced cancellations or logistical challenges.
The scale of the disruption highlights the broader impact of the conflict, with reports indicating that over 100 sporting events in the Gulf region alone have been affected due to safety concerns, travel restrictions, and airspace closures.
Why is the Gymnastics World Cup in Doha cancelled?
The event in Doha was cancelled due to the current situation in the Middle East, the sports’ governing body announced on Friday.
Where and when was the Gymnastics World Cup scheduled to take place?
The 2026 Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup was scheduled to be held in Doha from April 15 to 18.
Will the event be held in the future when situation improves in the Middle East?
No, the event has been totally scrapped and will not be held.
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Farzan is a journalist at Khel Now covering Indian Olympic sports and kabaddi. With five years of experience working with major sports organizations like Chennaiyin FC, Dabang Delhi K.C., Rajasthan Royals, and Yuva Kabaddi Series, he brings diverse expertise. Farzan has covered two Olympics, one Commonwealth Games, and one Asian Games, making his knowledge of Indian sports broad and versatile.