2028 Code Updates & Selection Procedures

Nemour hasn’t moved to World Champions Center, Mary Lou Retton’s arrest footage was released, code changes to get you up to speed for elite season, and a mini commission on the best gymnasts the world has never known

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HEADLINES

• Nemour was training at World Championships Center aka Simone’s gym last week with her French coach
• Footage from Mary Lou Retton’s DUI arrest was released

ELITE SEASON IS WARMING UP: What updates to the 2025-2028 Code of Points should I know about?

• Overall, there weren’t too many changes to this quad’s edition of the Code of Points. Was that intentional?
• Our favorite and not-so-favorite parts about this new Code, and why we need to spend the entire episode talking about the face sketches of the gymnasts doing wolf turns in the table of elements
• Why Jessica thinks the beam code is perfect and Spencer doesn’t
• The big floor shakeup that is killing all of our double-arabian half-out dreams
• How we can tell Sugihara Aiko did her homework and read the new Code of Points
• Changes to the FIG’s artistry checklist: body posture, expressive engagement, and the “background music” deduction
• The “we care about your ligaments” rule on bars
• Why Karina Schoenmaier probably loves the new 0.2 bonus for vaults that have different post-flight directions

MINI COMMISSION: THE BEST GYMNASTS THE WORLD HAS NEVER KNOWN

• This week’s Mini Commission is from our Fantasy Winner, Hailey Sen on the best gymnasts the world has never known. How many incredible gymnasts never made it to Worlds or the Olympics due to wrong timing, ill-timed injuries, or lack of national support and political issues?
• Hali Sheriff had some great skills for her era (Jessica narrated the short doc on Hali, the full documentary is now out)
• JAY JAY MARSHALL
• If you haven’t seen this floor routine from Elizabeth (Liz) Reid, you need to watch it right now
• That time London Phillips did a Biles I back in 2005
• Shantessa Pama and her triple-back dismount off bars
• Why so many of us are still crying about Yesenia Ferrera and how she could’ve been the star of Cuban gymnastics
• All of the Chinese beamers that could have become World Champions

UP NEXT:

• Behind The Scenes  on Friday at 12 Pacific/7 GMT
• Live Show July 18th

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MERCH

• GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

NEWSLETTERS

• Sign up for all three GymCastic newsletters 

RESOURCES

• Spencer’s essential website The Balance Beam Situation 
• Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim
• The Gymternet Nations Database
• Just added Group Commission: Pantheon of Gymnastics

RELATED

RESISTANCE 
Submitted by our listeners.

• ACTION
  • Indivisible
    • Practical ideas about what you can actually do in this moment, check it out: indivisi.org/muskorus
  • 5Calls App will call your Congresspeople by issue with a script to guide you
    • • Make 2 to your Congressional rep (local and DC office). 2 each to your US Senators (local and state offices)
        • State your name and zip code or district
        • Be concise with your question or demand (i.e. What specific steps is Senator X taking to stop XYZ)
        • Wait for answer
        • Ask for action items –  tell them what you want them to do (i.e. draft articles of impeachment immediately, I want to see you holding a press conference in front of…etc.)
  • ResistBot
    • Turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes
  • ACLU Mobile Justice App
    • Allows you to record encounters with public officials while streaming to your closest contacts and your local ACLU; REPORT any abuse by authorities to the ACLU and its networks.
• LAWSUITS
  • Donate to organizations suing the administration for illegal actions
    • ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Northwest Immigration Law Project
• STAY INFORMED
  • Suggested podcasts:  Amicus, Daily Beans, Pod Save America, Strict Scrutiny
• Immigrant Rights
  • Know Your Rights Red Cards, We Have Rights Video, Your Rights on trains and buses video