#FIG2011Tokyo #Gymnastics #Concussion
… We hear Yusuke Tanaka is doing fine after his floor mishap yesterday and will be back for the team final …
One of the stars of the Japanese men’s team suffered a concussion in competition during Floor preliminaries.
Not surprisingly, it was on a roll-out skill on Floor.
Similar — but worse — to what happened to Dragulescu at the 2007 European Championships.
Click PLAY or watch Dragulescu’s injury on YouTube.
If you really want to see Tanaka’s concussion, watch it here (VIDEO) … in gruesome slow motion.
Can Tanaka really recover that quickly?
I don’t think so.
I’m no expert. You’d be better to consult Dr. Michel Léglise from France, FIG Chief of Medical.
Know that many on the men’s side defend the skill:
Blythe Lawrence:
… The gymnasts themselves — at least the ones I’ve talked to here in Tokyo — do not think there’s a problem with performing roll out skills. “As scary as they look, Thomas skills are really very safe,” said Jonathan Horton, who does two in his floor routine. “I’ve been doing them since I was like 12 years old, and as long as you have proper air awareness and learn it right [it’s OK]. People get hurt on other things way more than they get hurt on roll out skills on floor.” …
… Examiner – Ban them! The case for getting rid of roll out skills on floor
If Dragulescu can get injured, anyone can. It takes only one slightly mistimed landing.
At minimum, FIG MTC should devalue each roll-out skill in the next Code of Points.
Banning would be more logical. How can FIG officials answer this question:
Why do you ban this skill for women and not for men?
… Roll out skills have already been banned for the women, thanks to the paralysis of 1978 World champion Elena Mukhina, who died of complications from the paralysis five years ago at age 46. Mukhina trained a Thomas (a 1.5 twisting, 1 3/4 somersault, introduced by American Kurt Thomas) for the 1980 Olympics. Until the day she landed it on her chin. …
Is it going to take an accident like Mukkina on the men’s side before FIG takes action?
In the meantime, the medical staff at Worlds needs watch Yusuke Tanaka closely. They’ve been very slow getting to injured athletes so far, by the way.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 