New Caledonia has been rocked by unrest for several weeks, and many countries have evacuated their nationals from the French overseas territory. Against this backdrop, the PWA has cancelled the Foil World Cup from 19 to 23 November in Noumea. "At this stage, in consultation with our partners on the islands, the decision has been taken to cancel the World Cup planned for 2024, as the current unrest has created an environment in which it is impossible to hold the event for 2024," it said in a statement.
The unrest was triggered by a planned reform that would have given many inhabitants of French descent the right to vote in New Caledonia. This had met with resistance, particularly from the independence movement of the indigenous inhabitants of New Caledonia. In the meantime, a state of emergency had been imposed on the archipelago and Paris had significantly increased its police presence. The international airport is to remain closed until the beginning of June. During a visit to New Caledonia, French President Macron has since promised to hold back the reform.
With the cancellation of the World Cup, the planned season finale in the foil discipline has been cancelled. The World Cup title is therefore expected to be awarded at the event in Japan at the beginning of November. The last World Cup was held in Noumea in 2019.
