Interesting observation from a top sports journalist.
The top 3 teams at Worlds have all been having a reckoning of how to improve ETHICS / SAFETY — especially because female gymnasts are so young, and the training so intense.
Gymnastics is absolutely the best sport for kids IMHO. But there have been terrible abuses, especially at the highest levels of WAG.
The World GYM podium comprised of three teams (USA, GBR, CAN) who have gone (and in some cases, still going) through a very, very public reckoning of its culture and is trying to find a way forward w/the athletes at the front of it.
Illia KOVTUN from Ukraine is wearing a STOP WAR t-shirt at Podium Training. OK, I think. And of course I agree with him.
Putin’s invasion of a neighbouring nation took out both Olympic Champion teams from our sport. And killed many innocent people.
STOP WAR.
Of course training for this competition has been super challenging for Ukraine. Their athletes have been all over the world trying to get ready.
Ukraine’s Illia Kovtun is wearing a shirt that says STOP WAR in his country’s colors during today’s podium training. #WGC2022pic.twitter.com/77c5vywIWR
We were surprised as Thema had looked healthy during Podium Training — in a striking gold leotard. No observable problems.
But her coach at the Games was John Geddert. He told the Federation Thema wasn’t ready enough. Trinidad had to fly the replacement in from Canada. Last minute.
FORMER national gymnast Thema Williams’s four-year battle for compensation, for the “biased and flawed” decision of the TT Gymnastics Federation to pull her out of the 2016 Olympic Games, came to an end at 2.20 pm on Thursday.
That was when the federation’s bankers, Republic Bank Ltd, delivered a cheque for $223,800.19 …
On November 26, 2018, Seepersad ruled Williams was entitled to $200,000 for loss of endorsements and other opportunities because of the federation’s “biased” and flawed decision to withdraw her from representing this country in the 2016 Rio Olympics. …
Here’s how British Gymnastics plans to improve the culture of the sport.
All should have equal opportunity.
AND end up with the greatest amount of GOOD for the greatest number of people.
Reform ’25 sets out what needs to change and how. We've put together a comprehensive 40-point action plan shaped by input from gymnasts, coaches, and clubs.
As every year, we would like to draw your attention to the main anti-doping regulations and documentation recently released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They will come into force on 1 January 2023.
On World Mental Health Day we are pleased to announce that with the support of @gkelite, USA Gymnastics will cover costs for visits to mental health providers for all National Team athletes and coaches.