“Restricted… Uncomfortable… Goofy…” Those are the words that Frederick Richard used to describe the USA’s gymnastics uniforms. To protest against the International Gymnastics Federation’s apparel regulations, he arrived at the 2025 Winter Cup with the uniform on the floor. That’s a pretty strong stance, don’t you think? But Richard’s rebellion didn’t stop there. During an interview with Kensley Beel, he announced, “There will be a new uniform.” And now, the University of Michigan junior has come forth with a teaser.
Not too long ago, Richard sought out professional help from a designer, and with the help of his teammates’ input, he created a prototype. Of course, it was made to represent Michigan. According to the U.S. national team member, the new uniform “felt good to wear.” He has already accepted the 0.3 point deduction for failing to adhere to the traditional attire. But the revolution has just begun.
Taking to Instagram, the artistic gymnast shared a sneak peek of the new uniform. Hanging from what seemed like a bar, the new uniform consisted of leggings and shorts. And to complete his attire, there was a jersey on top. Remember what he said about jerseys following the 2025 Winter Cup? He confessed, “I definitely look up to the sports like basketball, soccer – basically the sports where people are wearing your jersey in the crowd.” And here it was.
In the caption, Richard asked, “Hmmm what do you guys think?” So, what did the fans of the sport have to say about the new gymnastics uniform? Let’s find out!
Fans aren’t happy with Frederick Richard’s new uniform
The gymnastics norms have stood strong for 130 years for a reason. Loose, baggy clothes often hinder a gymnast’s performance. And catching the fabric while spinning on a pommel horse or a parallel or high bar means disaster. It welcomes unwanted injuries and whatnot! One fan reflected on the possibilities of injuries and wrote, “Still so easy for someone to catch a thumb on the top on Pommel or Pbars… Gotta go back to the drawing board man. Not safe. ” Another fan disapproved of the jersey because of the same reasons. “I like the leggings and shorts idea but why the jersey? Could get caught on pommel or potentially on highbar I feel like,” read the comment. But Richard is looking forward to letting the fans wear their favorite gymnast’s jerseys.
Of course, most of the fans were pretty supportive of Frederick Richard’s rebellion. But the new design still had some problems. Even though it was comfortable according to the gymnast, too much clutter in the designs might hinder the judges’ visibility. And since Richard would be losing 0.3 points per day of the competition for violating the norms, he’d have to focus more on attracting the judges’ attention. One fan claimed, “Honestly, if you feel more comfortable go for it. I think it doesn’t have a good flow or fit it also may allow for judges not to see form in certain positions. But im all for athlete comfort.” Another fan added, “I don’t know about the stripes. May distract from seeing form. YOUR AWESOME!!!!!”
The fans were disappointed with the design, as well. One fan pointed out, “Good effort, but the traditional uniform looks sharper.” A tight unitard and pants that cover an athlete’s feet don’t just provide a visual that can help the athletes show off their skills. The sharp turns and acrobatics usually get hidden by baggy clothes. But as far as looks were concerned, one fan was pretty dejected. The comment read, “You new uniform sucks. Sorry. I’m all about any kinda of expression but, this uniform is not the move. The fact that nobody joined you and wore similar frocks is telling – you’re fighting a useless fight alone. All of this and the updated uniform is ugly to boot. Ha.”
What are your thoughts on Fred Richard’s new outfit? Do you think the International Gymnastics Federation can agree to his terms?
The post US Gymnastics Star Frederick Richard’s Bid to Revolutionize the Sport Falls Flat as Fans Disapprove of Latest Step appeared first on EssentiallySports.