Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) has long been associated with risky moves. And now it finds itself in the International Elite Committee’s latest rule entry. The IEC provides competitive experiences to aspiring gymnasts selected for the USA Championships each year and also overlooks coaches. Then comes the official rule book used by judges to score routines at major international competitions. The FIG, issued by the international governing body is revised quarterly, to change rules, regulations, and skills.

The high injury rate(2.6±0.5 injuries per season) and the negative health consequences of elite gymnastics need improvised gymnastic injury prevention strategies. Many, however, were quick to point out that the new rule change does not apply to artistic gymnastics’ floor routine.

Elite gymnastics makes healthy alterations

On May 1, 2024, the official website of USA Gymnastics IEC stated: If a gymnast falls during a routine on uneven bars or beam, creating concern for injury by the medical team, coaches, and/or judges, will asses the gymnast. If the gymnast stays on the mats, fall time does not start; if they stand before the assessment, fall time begins again. After being medically cleared, judges and coaches are informed and fall time begins (10 seconds for beam, 30 seconds for bars).

Brian Carey, the father and coach of 2020 Tokyo Olympian Jade Carey, filed the motion. Jessie DeZiel, an American artistic gymnast and former University of Nebraska student, seconded it. The motion was titled ‘Field of Play Stoppage for Medical Assessment – Injury During Competition.‘ However, this rule change does not apply to floor routine since there is no time-stopping device that allows a gymnast to complete a performance on the floor.

In the case of a gymnast doing two vaults, if a medical examination is required following the first vault and the athlete is medically approved to proceed, the green light for the start of the second vault will be triggered once the gymnast returns to the start of the vault runway. In all cases, if the gymnast fails to obtain approval to complete their routine or return for their second vault within 3 minutes of the commencement of the medical examination, the routine or second vault will be canceled.

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Highlight of the injury rule

In the end, if a concussion diagnosis is suspected within the 3-minute time limit, the gymnast will be removed from the podium. An additional detailed review will be performed, away from the podium. If the athlete is medically cleared, they will compete in the next event. The order in which the athlete will line up for the remaining events will be set in agreement with the athlete, coach, medical team, and program leadership. The medical staff will notify all stakeholders (including program leadership, coaches, players, judges, and floor managers) about the athlete’s condition and clearance to compete.

US Gymnastics has two mileposts before the Paris Olympics- the Core Hydration/ US Classic this month followed by the US Olympics Trials in June. Finally, the 2024 Paris Artistic Gymnastics competition will be held over nine days (July 27 -August 5) at the Bercy Arena. The event will include two days of qualification, team finals, and individual all-around finals, as well as three days of individual apparatus finals.