Liu Tingting of China competes on the balance beam at the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, October 13, 2019. /VCG
Denmark has withdrawn as the host of next year's Artistic Gymnastics World Championships due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Danish Gymnastics Federation (DIF) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Copenhagen was set to stage the 50th edition of the world champonships October 18 to 24, 2021, now a crowded calendar year with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics postponed to next summer.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said in a separate statement that it was disappointed with the Danish federation's decision and would consider launching a bidding process to identify a new host country.
Simone Biles of the U.S. displays the five gold medals she won at the 2019 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, October 13, 2019. /VCG
"The Danish Gymnastics Federation has informed the FIG of its withdrawal from hosting the 50th World Artistic Gymnastics Championships," the sport's world governing body said.
"The FIG Executive Committee (EC) has taken note of this decision and has expressed its regret and disappointment. The EC will shortly consider all consequences resulting from this situation, including the launch of a new bidding procedure."
The Artistic World Championships are held annually in non-Olympic years but, with the Tokyo Games pushed back a year due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, the two events will take place in the same year.
Denmark had previously hosted the Artistic World Championships in 2006.
The 2022 edition is in Liverpool, England, and the 2023 worlds in Antwerp, Belgium.
(With input from agencies)