Russian super star Svetlana Khorkina has cancelled her trip to the DTB Cup to be held in Stuttgart, Germany, this coming weekend. According to Suabian Gymnastics Federation (STB) official Ingrid Flogaus, who is in charge of public relations for the event, Khorkina finally turned down the invitation yesterday evening in a phone conversation with Valeri Belenki. "Valeri called her a few times, trying to persuade her to attend his send off," Flogaus said, "but unfortunately, she said no."

Belenki injured himself in podium training at the World Championships in Ghent, Belgium, and will be honoured in a special going away ceremony during the competition along with Uwe Billerbeck and Katja Dreyer, who have also decided to end their competitive careers. Germany will be represented by Stephan Zapf, Sven Kwiatkowski and Marcel Niess (hors concours) for the men. Female competitors are Birgit Schweigert, Lisa Brüggemann, Katja Abel and Daria Bijak. The latter two will compete hors concours.

The USA had originally entered Tasha Schwikert and Tabitha Yim, but has withdrawn from the event, a World Cup qualifier, completely. A last minute cancellation also came from Bulgaria's Jordan Jovchev, who wants to stay with his wife Borjana, who is expecting their first child soon. Whether Elena Zamolodchikova will compete remains uncertain due to her injured foot. So far, no Russian replacement has been named for Khorkina..

Khorkina's cancellation hurts the women's roster badly. The only Ghent gold medallists left in the women's field are Romanians Carmen Ionescu and Andreea Ulmeanu. Two other medallists from Ghent will compete: Oksana Chusovitina (UZB), Renske Endel (NED) and Sun Xiaojiao (CHN). The men's side looks to be more promising with Romania's champions Marius Urizca and Marina Dragulescu. Robert Baur, head of the DTB Cup organising committee, commented in Ghent: "Lucikly my competition has now begun to speak for itself. I don't have to be chasing around and begging people to come."

Ötzi