If that really is their reasoning that would be nonsense
For a true International athlete, Worlds is the competition. The other side of the International division issue is being exposed by this. I remember when the division was primarily young adults - college age and maybe even a little older. They would practice 1-2 times a week, compete a few times during the season, and Worlds would be their only travel comp. Now that 12 year olds are eligible, many gyms have structured their international teams to more resemble senior teams, and those younger kids and their parents want all of the same experiences they would get on a senior team. Those college aged athletes are forced to spend more money and more time, and to have such major rule changes mid-season to where they feel like they are competing on a rec team at the competition they value as the most prestigious is justifiably enough for them to say screw it. They can perform more difficult skills in college now, so why bother with all star?
I wouldn't be surprised to see teams pull out either. But do remember that it's *just* baskets. They can still do everything else: stunts, pyramids, tumbling at level 5/6. They can still double down out of stunts, they can still do level appropriate twisting/flipping dismounts/mounts , just not in baskets. Add in doing level appropriate baskets that don't involve twisting and it's far from doing a level 2/3 routine. Yes, elite tumbling isn't going to be rewarded as much, but the skills aren't illegal. I would like to think that doubles/individual passes would be rewarded in overall routine, but maybe not, idk.
you are completely missing the tumbling aspect, and for most guys, that is huge.
True. Idk, I don't see some of the top teams watering their tumbling down, at least too much. I would think (hope?) that it would be rewarded in overall routine maybe? Idk how that is gonna work.
