It was announced last week that Mexico would no longer be hosting the 2016 Open Water Junior World Championships or the Cozumel stop of the FINA Open Water Grand Prix, and that Argentina’s stop on the circuit was cancelled as well.
Following the announcements FINA hadn’t released any information as to why the cancellations would take place. SwimSwam reached out to FINA to see what the reasons were.
FINA told SwimSwam that both the Confederacion Argentina de Deportes Acuaticos (Argentinian Swimming Federation) and the Federación Mexicana de Natación (Mexican Swimming Federation) made the decisions to cancel the events.
In the case of the cancellation of the 2016 Open Water Junior World Championships, the local Villa Urquiza-Parana authorities were part of the decision as well.
FINA has yet to release any information as to when they will be selecting a replacement host for the Junior Open Water World Championships or if the Mexican Swimming Federation will be facing any sort of penalty for pulling out.
This cancellation comes shortly after Mexico pulled out from hosting the 2017 World Championships, the federation faced a scandal at the 2015 World Championships when they entered falsified times, and they faced backlash after threatening to kick Mexican national record-holder Fernanda Gonzalez out of the Pan Am Games for not wearing Mexico’s sponsored competition suit.
I know its a bit retro but Argentina is in default again so there is no credit line for a non profit undertaking . Mexico is Mexico . This week a lady Mayor lasted one day before getting shot dead.
I would not consign young swimmers to the responsibility of Mexico authorities until they deliver on the case of the kidnapped tortured & burnt 43 students . Mexico simply does not care so why did Fina think think they’d manage an OW event for kids of similar age to the massacre ?
Cozumel is part of the Yucatan tourism zone aka the Bali of North America. For all that there are large chunks of Mexico that are effectively no go zones for anyone not on the right side of the drug lords, the Cancun-Cozumel area has generally been kept pretty safe by Mexican authorities who don’t want to jeopardize the cash cow that is Americans and Canadians looking for a bit of affordable winter sun at the resorts there.
Worst thing an open water swimmer will have to worry about there is accidentally swallowing the water.
I understand that & have spent time in the Sonora before it was in the State Depts BIG RED LETTERS as world HQ for drug & human trafficking . Whilst Bali is Hindu-light & very attractive to westerners , the rest of Indonesia is very safe providing you are trying to be respectful of general muslim customs & mega strict drug policy.
It is not much but I gotta keep those 43 in the conversation whenever Mexico is mentioned. I fully believe Mexico can not be trusted with the safety of young people .It is not a boycott , just applying apples & apples.
The question I would ask Fina is if they received payment on the $5M cancellation fee for pulling out of worlds owed by Mexico. My theory is Mexico didnt pay it and FINA pulled the open water event in retribution. Or perhaps there were fees due for these meets in 2016 and Mexico didnt pay…its always about the money with Fina