Continuing on the WHAT Express

Just announced on International Gymnast:

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has reduced the number of gymnasts on an Olympic team from six to five, the federation announced Friday.

The decision comes as part of the FIG's new Olympic qualification procedure, proposed by the Executive Committee and accepted by the FIG Council at its meeting last weekend in Cape Town, South Africa.

According to the FIG announcement:

"In the future, two events will serve as qualifying events: the world championships organised the year preceding the Olympic Games and pre-Olympic events.
The number of gymnasts in a team will be reduced from 6 to 5.
All medallists will be qualified for the Olympic Games."
The FIG also has cancelled the biennial World Cup Final, last held in 2006. The federation has struggled to find a host for the World Cup Final on several occasions.

In addition, the FIG announced that as of Jan. 1, 2009, all gymnasts will need "licenses" to participate in international competition.

So it's official, I guess. They really could have found another way to allow medalists to qualify to the Olympics, even if their country didn't qualify a full team and have less athletes at the competition without damaging the team aspect of the sport.

In addition, the FIG announced that as of Jan. 1, 2009, all gymnasts will need "licenses" to participate in international competition.

What the fruit does that mean? They have visas, passports, and birth certificates, forged or not. Now they need another form of identification?

BTW, there is no mention about how the team format will change yet. 5-3-3 just won't cut it. It had better be something that truly utilizes the team, like 5-5-4 or 5-4-3. And I still advocate a constant in team format in prelims and team finals. Nothing like 5-5-4 in prelims and 5-4-3 in finals.