A. Coronastics

Here’s the latest rundown on the status of events in reaction to the coronavirus:

1. A day after the US announced that it’s too scary to go to Italy, the Jesolo competition officially self-canceled. Fear not, that weekend was already packed with NCAA regionals and the Tokyo world cup (maybe…), so you won’t suddenly be left with no gymnastics excuses to get out of doing things.
2. The US also said there will be an alternate competition opportunity at camp that weekend for those American gymnasts who would have gone to Jesolo, and I don’t know what that means. You don’t get an international assignment in Italy, but to make up for it, you have to spend a weekend in Indianapolis…?
3. Doha has announced a 14-day quarantine period for those entering Qatar from China, South Korea, Egypt (?), Iran, and Italy. This was announced 13 days before qualification begins at the Doha Apparatus World Cup. So that’s not ideal.
4. Vanessa Ferrari said on the socials that the Italians won’t be going to Doha as a result. That has potentially huge implications for the Olympic floor spot, but if the Italians do end up competing in Baku the week right before, they can still lock most other competitors out before Doha. People like Bachynska and even Pihan-Kulesza will nonetheless feel like a door has been cracked open slightly.
5. Doha also announced that its world cup event will be held behind closed doors. Attendance is expected to remain constant at zero.
6. All other FIG events are currently slated to continue as scheduled, and everyone (except Russia) successfully arrived at the American Cup. But if anyone falls, it’s the coronavirus’s fault.