What We’re Talking About
When people say don’t mix politics and sports, what do they mean? Is keeping Russia out of the Olympics politics? Or is their exclusion simply following the Olympic Charter? More specifically, Russia violated the Fundamental Principles of Olympism in Principle 5, which states “Recognizing that sport occurs within the framework of society, sports organizations within the Olympic Movement shall have the rights and obligations of autonomy… free from any political interference.” More concisely, World Gymnastics executive Steve Butcher described the violation on our show a few years ago saying Russia’s sin is their attempt to remove a flag from the Olympic movement–and that’s not allowed. That sounds like a political decision to me. And I’m fine with it.
The Olympics were famously used by Adolf Hitler in the 1936 Games to promote Nazi Germany’s antisemitic and racist regime. That feels political. And this week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) came under fire for profiting off those politics by selling 1936 Heritage Collection Olympic t-shirts. When asked by The Athletic, an IOC spokesperson replied, “While we of course acknowledge the historical issues of ‘Nazi propaganda’ related to the Berlin 1936 Olympic Games, we must also remember that the Games in Berlin saw 4,483 athletes from 49 countries compete in 149 medal events.”
That makes sense. After all, Jesse Owens shattered the delusion of white supremacy by winning four gold medals in those games. That excellence was also politics… and it was obviously sport. The question becomes, who gets to decide how much politics is too much? Was the United States Vice President, JD Vance, getting booed at the Opening Ceremonies too much politics to broadcast? I turned up the volume up on my TV to find out, but it didn’t cross my threshold.
What makes sports amazing and universal is the humanity of it all. The pain, the sacrifice, the struggles, the elation, the determination and grit. We get to witness the entire spectrum of human emotion and resilience. Until we don’t… because of politics. And not for breaking rules of the Olympic Charter like Russia, but for simply being at the wrong end of a conflict. Like reigning world floor champion, Artem Dolgopyat, not being allowed to defend his title in Jakarta because Indonesia claims they couldn’t guarantee athlete safety (while the more likely reason is the government didn’t issue the Israeli athletes visas because they have no formal diplomatic relations with Israel). And this past week at the Winter Games in Milan, Ukrainian skeleton Olympian, Vladislav Heraskevych, was barred from competition because he insisted on wearing a helmet that included the images of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed during the war with Russia. I argue the decision to ban him was political. Russia removed athletes from the movement and the IOC finished the job with Heraskevych. No matter the IOC’s decision, it was always going to be political. What they should have done is championed humanity. Allow the silenced athletes–from wherever they are now–to hear those participating in the Olympic movement cheer and cry for them one last time. That’s the best of sport.
Feelings
- If feeling under the weather didn’t slow Jordan Chiles‘ 10.0 streak then Jeanette Antolin’s record seven perfect 10s in a row is in play
- Welcome to the 198 club. It looks like Utah is gonna be alright.
- Oklahoma winning in Gainesville for the first time in program history shows there are still a few achievements they can reach for
- Europeans have no respect for American Football players skills, as evidenced by an attempted snatch-and-grab from Jonathan Owens
- Make it make sense… Florida loses two meets in a row and moves up in the rankings ahead of UCLA on a six-meet win streak (yes, we know why)
- Loving the use of Metallica in Amelia Disidore’s floor routine
- We love the idea of Danie Ferris competing elite for Morocco
- We already knew Jordan Chiles was a super hero, her comic book makes it official
- A pava for Sydney Barros is the only correct stick crown
- We’re excited to watch the Gym Slam race between Jordan Chiles, Kailin Chio and Selena Harris-Miranda
- Bonus: You should definitely get your Live Show Season Pass and/or your Cecile Landi Live Show Replay Ticket
Facts
- 198.325: LSU’s fifth highest score in program history
- 197.950: Alabama’s highest score since 2024 and tied for 6th best in program history
- Kailin Chio scored her first perfect 10 on floor
- Kayla DiCello competed in the all-around for the first time since 2023 (1,036 days)
- Addison Fatta scored her first career perfect 10
- Avery Neff recorded her first 10 on bars
- 39.875: tied for 2nd highest all-around score in LSU history posted by Chio
- 10,000+ people decided to spend Valentine’s at Pauley Pavilion, a season high crowd for UCLA
- 49.750: Utah posted the highest bars score in the nation
- The University of Pennsylvania who has never made Regionals is currently ranked 36, the last Regional spot
- Bonus: Get – The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles for under $5!
Award(s)
- Unstoppable: Kailin Chio
- First of Many – Addison Fatta
What’s On the Socials?
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Quotes
“We’re putting more pieces back together, and we got a 198 with not even our most extravagant gymnastics.”
~ Avery Neff, Extravagant Gymnast
Neff after the Red Rocks posted a season-high 198.025 in their win over BYU, and her second career 10.0 coming on bars.
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“I would also love to win a medal on the uneven bars because it’s my favourite apparatus and the one I feel is still missing.”
~ Rebeca Andrade, Olympic Champion
Andrade on her plans to return and her goals with an eye toward LA 2028.
♦
“We’ll See.”
~ Simone Biles, GOAT
Simone was on the Today show supporting Team USA. When asked about a potential return, she said her coach Laurent Landi keeps asking her, suggesting they’ll need two years. Acknowledging that time is coming up, Simone continued to leave the door cracked for a return.
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What? You want even more? Join Club Gym Nerd and you get a bonus episode, College & Cocktails, every weekend after our meet of the week. Once the NCAA season is over you continue to get a weekly bonus episode every Friday afternoon. Plus you get access to all of our archives, exclusive content and more. Then we give the sober analysis on Monday (or Tuesday) after we’ve allowed the data to penetrate our feelings.
This column was composed and compiled by Steve Cooper, Editor at GymCastic and co-author of “The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles“; some thoughts culled from hosts Jessica O’Beirne and Spencer Barnes.
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