The Diving World Cup event scheduled to take place next week in Jalisco has been canceled, but Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (Conade) and the Jalisco state government are lobbying World Aquatics to continue with the event as planned, or, failing that, change the venue.

World Aquatics — the international federation that administers international swimming and diving competitions — announced its decision on Wednesday after consultations with Aquatics Mexico, the Mexican Federation of Diving and High Diving and the Jalisco Council for Sports Development (CODE Jalisco).

The event was scheduled to take place at the Zapopan Aquatic Center, Mexico’s national diving training hub, just west of Guadalajara, the state capital. Guadalajara and other regions of the state experienced considerable unrest and violence following a military operation to capture a notorious drug kingpin last Sunday.

World Aquatics said the decision took into account travel restrictions issued by foreign embassies in Mexico, some of whom rescinded authorization for their national teams to participate.

“The safety and participation of all athletes remains a fundamental priority for World Aquatics,” it said.

Conade President Rommel Pacheco said his organization is urging World Aquatics to consider alternatives in Mexico City, Veracruz or Yucatán “so that our women and men divers can compete at home.”

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus said the decision to cancel was not solely based on the risk assessment, since his government lowered alert levels on Tuesday. He told reporters that logistical complications resulting from this past weekend’s disturbances were also responsible.

“China has considerable influence in the World Diving Federation and they asked that the event be postponed due to air connectivity issues,” he said. 

Lemus said that along with Conade and CODE Jalisco he is asking China not to insist on the cancellation of the competition.

Along with the cancellation, World Aquatics said that qualification for the May 1-3 Diving World Cup Super Final in Beijing would be based on the results of the competition currently taking place in Canada.

These events are all part of the qualification process for the 2028 Summer Olympics and Conade is concerned that the loss of a competition — especially one at home — would be detrimental to the diving team’s preparations. Along with archery, the diving team is one of Mexico’s most successful Olympic squads.

With reports from La Jornada, Excelsior, Swimming World Magazine and the CBC