1983 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships

Background

The XI World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship was held in Strasbourg, France on November 10-11, 1983. This championship served as a qualification process for the first Olympic program of rhythmic gymnastics to be included in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

History

This championship became significant because it marked the beginning of rhythmic gymnastics being included in the Olympic Games. However, due to the boycott by many socialist countries of the 1984 Olympics, representatives from leading gymnastic schools at that time, including the USSR and Bulgaria, did not participate in the Los Angeles competition.

Participating Countries

A total of [insert number] countries participated in the competitions:

* Australia
* Austria
* Belgium
* Brazil
* Bulgaria
* Canada
* China
* Cuba
* Cyprus
* Czechoslovakia (CSSR)
* Denmark
* East Germany (GDR)
* Finland
* France
* Hungary
* Israel
* Italy
* Japan
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* North Korea
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom
* United States
* USSR
* West Germany

World Cup Debut

The 1983 championship also marked the first time a World Cup was held in rhythmic gymnastics.

Olympic Qualification Process

Although the 1983 championships served as a qualification process for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, most of the gymnasts from Eastern Europe did not participate in the Games due to the boycott by the Communist Bloc.