‘What happening?’ Many found themselves asking this question at The Core Hydration US Classic. It may be over now, but the controversy surrounding it still rages. Now Simone Biles’ was victorious, with an impressive overall score of 59.500, but Gabby Douglas and Konnor McClain had a tough time. The former struggled on the uneven bars while the latter faced an injury during warm-ups for her floor exercise routine. But if we exclusively talk about the uneven bars, was something going on with it?

US gymnastics legend Kathy Johnson, now a commentator, voiced her thoughts on the matter. Her recent post on X has stirred up conversation within the gymnastics community, questioning the occurrence of peculiar mistakes on the bars during the Core Hydration US Classic. “So, there were a lot of odd mistakes on bars. Coincidence? Something weird with the bars? Just curious.”

This speculation gains traction, especially considering the challenges faced by three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas. Post this, she withdrew her name. This withdrawal means the gymnast will fail to qualify for the all-around at the U.S. Championships. “I honestly didn’t do the best that I wanted… But I have to give myself a little grace because it’s been so long,” she said later on.

This is something that will make her fans sad. After all, she recently made a comeback after staying away from the sport for nearly eight years. Meanwhile, Simone Biles, despite her overall dominance, placed second on the uneven bars with a score of 14.550, prompting further scrutiny about the bars. Notably, the main feature that differentiates the gymnastic equipment is give/bounce vs. sturdiness and grip.

For example, Gymnova’s uneven bars are straight, whereas Spieth’s are angled like the Senoh bars used at Tokyo 2020. The purpose of the podium training is to familiarize gymnasts with that equipment to prime their skills and routines for the competition. Therefore, often a change of brands might affect the performance of a gymnast big time.

A classical instance of this is the controversy surrounding British gymnast Becky Downie in 2021. Although no gymnast has voiced any direct allegation against the equipment, fans didn’t hold back from expressing their perspectives on the ongoing speculation regarding potential issues with the bars.

Fans’ perspectives on bars performance after Gabby Douglas’s exit

Amid ongoing speculation surrounding potential issues with the bars, fans offered their insights and observations. Among the multitude of fans, a few have shared their thoughts on the matter. One fan passionately exclaimed, “KJC I was shouting at my TV – ‘stop the competition. Someone look at those bars!” Almost similar thoughts came out in 2021 for Becky Downie after British Gymnastics suddenly announced the change to use Gymnova bars instead of Spieth for that year’s selection event for the Olympic team.

Many alleged that the gymnast was sabotaged because she spoke out about her and her sister Ellie’s experiences of abuse in gymnastics when the scandal first broke in the summer of 2020. Although in Core Hydration, no such grave matter was raised, the fervent responses underscored the urgency felt by viewers as they witnessed the challenges faced by athletes on the uneven bars. Some fans lashed out at the Speith bars being used at the event. Notably, Spieth is the Official Equipment Supplier of USA Gymnastics.

A fan drew attention to the equipment itself, stating, “They’re Spieth bars. The worst bars in the world. (I know these girls compete on Spieth all the time but as a gymnast myself I will say that Spieth feels VERY different from AAI).” This comment sheds light on the nuances of gymnastics bars and their potential impact on performance. Spieth has provided equipment for 12 Olympic Games and 90 World, European, or Canadian Championship events. The brand inked a deal with USA Gymnastics in 2023, that extends through 2029.

As per the deal, Spieth America will supply equipment for roughly 15 competitive events annually, including USA Gymnastics’ premier events, National Team camps, national events in non-artistic disciplines at a range of competitive levels, and international events hosted by USA Gymnastics. This is applicable across different gymnastic disciplines, namely men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics and the acrobatic, parkour, rhythmic, and trampoline & tumbling.

But Spieth’s reputation did not stop the fans from voicing their concerns. One fan expressed with conviction, “There was something wrong with those bars. I’m convinced.” This reflects a widespread belief among fans that there may indeed be underlying issues with the bars. Further adding to the discourse, another fan speculated, “I was wondering that, too. So many people had a problem with bars, I thought there might be an issue with the equipment.”

Lastly, one fan provided a technical assessment, noting, “They looked like they were ridiculously stiff. No give whatsoever.” This observation once again emphasizes the potential impact of the equipment on athletes’ performances. Here one might once again recall how, back in 2021, Beckie was disappointed with the change of the bar brands.

The bars specialist had been training on Spieth’s angled bars in preparation for the Games. Becky’s routine was primed for those. With the last-minute change, she would have been extremely short on time to learn some new ones that complement the bars of Gymnova. In response to that, she wrote on social media, “With this one, you broke me. Torn between training incredibly well and feeling in the shape of my life vs having to deal with the most difficult scenario that affects everything I’ve worked so hard for.”

What might have happened in The Core Hydration 2024? Is it just a technical glitch or something more grave than that? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.