Let’s take a ride back to the start of this year. The FIG had issued a change in the Code of Points (CoP) in men’s artistic gymnastics, and these weren’t minor changes. One change was that, going down from 10 skills in the 2022-2024 CoP, gymnasts will only be able to perform 8 counting skills for difficulty value (DV) in the 2025-2028 CoP, matching the number of skills juniors currently perform. In a document, FIG had said, “Feedback has been mainly positive specifically with regards to the reduction from 10 to 8 elements“. So might be the case, but Fred Richard and Co. are not very happy with the new code as a whole.
USA Gymnastics took to its official YouTube channel to stream a press conference including their men gymnasts: Asher Hong, Stephen Nedoroscik, Brody Malone, & Frederick Richard. In that press conference, a journalist put forward the question, “Obviously, new quad, new points, and then there have been some recent changes. So, would love to know your thoughts on specifically those recent changes adjusting to the scale and stuff, and just your overall thoughts.” Asher Hong went first.
“Uh, well, I don’t know. Uh, I thought the scale was all right. I wasn’t too big of a fan of it, but it gave me some time to rest in the corner before my dismount. I guess I like to look at the positives,” he said at the conference. The scale element on floor exercise was a mandatory 2-second static hold that required gymnasts to maintain a balance position with one leg extended above horizontal, this helped him with the rest. Though the gymnast focused on the bright side, he did voice out his problems with the code, saying, “Um, but they did come out with a new code change that’s going to be implemented in 2026 with the Gatson skill and the you don’t have to do scale anymore.”
He also said, “Um, and I think it’s a little bit odd how they’re trying to re-evaluate skills. Um, I don’t necessarily agree with um their re-evaluation of it. I think it makes the skill a lot more like a lot more difficult and the skill that they’re re-evaluating aren’t seen that often anyways.” Under the 2025–2028 MAG Code of Points, FIG changed how lower-difficulty skills earn composition credit. Low-difficulty skills (A–C values) now earn only 0.3 points toward Element Group (EG) credit, whereas D-value or higher skills are required to get the full 0.5 points.
Leipzig, Germany, May 31th 2025 General view of the hall during Courtney TULLOCH GBR exercise during the Artistic Gymnastics European Championships – Men s Parallel Bars Final in Leipzig, Germany. EDITOR S NOTE: This image was taken using a star filter Gabor Baumgarten / SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xGaborxBaumgartenx/xSPPx spp-en-GaBaSp-25_05_31_Gymnastics Europeans Mens Parallel Bars_Gabor_Baumgarten-07949
He also expressed confusion about FIG’s adjustments, questioning their necessity and suggesting that more athlete input should be considered, though they were unsure if FIG values that feedback before Fred Richard took over. The Olympian said, “Yeah, I feel like Asher said, I don’t know what they’re trying to do because I have I feel like that’s just the question we all have. Like tell us your decision and then the reason behind it more than just the decision, but I guess that’s gymnastics.” The gymnast has decided to be at peace with it, a little shocking coming from a gymnast trying to make a difference in the sport.
Fred Richards trying to revolutionize the sport
At the 2025 Winter Cup, Fred Richard showed up in something no one expected: a loose tank top and basketball-style shorts. In a sport where the uniform hasn’t changed in decades, it stood out immediately. “I definitely look up to the sports like basketball, soccer – basically the sports where people are wearing your jersey in the crowd,” Richard said after the meet. The design came from Turn Gymnastics and leaned into comfort, still functional, just not the traditional tight singlet people are used to seeing in men’s gymnastics.
He knew the outfit would cost him, 0.3 points off, every day. But the judges let him wear it. “I talked to Butch [Zunich] and a couple of head judges who make those decisions, and they said, ‘Wear it, get deducted.’ They’ll be able to look at video feed of what I look like in the uniform and see is it safe? Is this hindering any gymnastics or judging? If it’s not, there’s no real reason not to allow it…” he told.
“The long term plan, the dream is, walk into [the] 2028 Olympics, and we are wearing this uniform – five of us, the Olympic team – and that would be because FIG allowed this uniform to pass. In the meantime, it’ll be a process of me pushing. I’m going to have to push hard…” He said. What are your thoughts over his new uniform?
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