This is a blow for World Rowing. The world rowing body will have to find an alternative to the site in Sabaudia, Italy, where two major events on the international calendar were to be held: the World Rowing Championships in sea and beach sprint in 2023, and the European Rowing Championships in 2024. The Italian city will no longer host both competitions, but the reason for its withdrawal is neither the health crisis nor a lack of budget. The reason is political. World Rowing explained it in a press release: the new mayor of Sabaudia, Alberto Mosca, “refuses to respect the contractual obligations foreseen in the host city contracts“, signed in 2019 and 2020 respectively. He has decided to dissolve the local organising committee. The body, chaired by Frenchman Jean-Christophe Rolland, has announced that it is considering “all appropriate legal remedies” against the organisers. In the meantime, it has launched a new call for bids for the World Rowing Championships in 2023 and the European Championships the following year. Deadline: 30 September 2022.
