Decades After Getting Banned for Good Deadly Gymnastics Move Resurfaces

Published 07/22/2023, 12:17 PM EDT

There are a multitude of tricks, flips, and routines in the world of gymnastics. Nevertheless, there are certain moves that are considered out of the box because of their complexity. The potential risks some of the tricks carry are dangerous and can have bitter consequences. One such example is the Dead Loop, which is now a banned trick in the world of Gymnastics.

This deadly flip is also known as the Korbut Flip, as it was first performed by Olga Korbut in 1972 at the Munich Olympics. However, the trick was only documented once and was banned in 1972 due to its dangerous nature.

The first and last documentation of the dead loop in gymnastics history

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This deadly backflip, Dead Loop, is one of the most life-threatening tricks for a gymnast. Belarusian gymnast Olga Korbut gained a 9.8/10 by standing on a high bar and performing a backflip before gripping the bar again. Nonetheless, she did it only once, as it proved to be one of the most fatal gymnastics tricks and could render some unprecedented injuries.

In the wake of its ferocious nature, a ban was put on the montage. Korbut has forever etched her name in gymnastics because of her incredible talent and skills and is regarded for the finesse she flaunted while performing Dead Loop back in 1972. The “Dead Loop” is often referred to as the “Korbut Flip” in honor of Olga Korbut. Recently, a throwback video of Korbut’s Dead Loop made many heads turn their way. The caption of the video states, “The banned “dead loop” of Olga Korbut in 1972.” The resurfaced video has left many fans in shock as they got to witness this unprecedented stunt.

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Olga is today living in Scottsdale, Arizona. She has retired and is living her life to the fullest. More so, in 2017, she sold off her medals at auction. When the press spoke to her, she said, “This is Olympic history, and I would like to share it with the whole world. They helped to make history and make it forever. This is how I wanted to share with the people.” Olga Korbut has flawlessly performed this dead loop and her skills can be seen in how succinct they are and how smooth she is.

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The banning of the dead loop in gymnastics

The decision to ban this dead loop was taken by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) because of multiple factors. These reasons generally revolved around the safety and welfare of the gymnasts. One of the main reasons was a safety concern, as the risks involved with this flip were very obvious. A gymnast stands on the high bar, flips over, and then grabs the bar once more to perform the “Dead Loop,” a traditional gymnastic move. This is a risky stunt that can go wrong if the gymnast loses their footing or fails in eventually grasping the bar.

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This stunt could involve multiple injuries, especially in the head, neck, and spine regions. There was a good amount of reward associated with this trick, but the risks overpowered the wins. The FIG recognized all of these points and kept safety the utmost priority for the gymnasts and took the decision to ban the Dead Loop. The stop on this trick encouraged the gymnasts to lay emphasis on the alternative moves that displayed their skills and talent without compromising safety and the world of gymnastics has never seen another perform this deadly trick since.

Watch this story: Olympic Gymnast Simon Biles Reminisces Her ‘Ambitious Childhood’ as She Goes Down the Memory Lane of Initial Gymnastics.

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Written by:

Nancy Singh is a US sports writer for EssentiallySports. She is an avid sports enthusiast and comes with a staunch background in content writing and marketing. With her Bachelor’s degree in English, Nancy created a penchant for all things journalism and delved into the world of sports.

Edited by:

Purva Jain

Decades After Getting Banned for Good Deadly Gymnastics Move Resurfaces

The first and last documentation of the dead loop in gymnastics history

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The banning of the dead loop in gymnastics