Simone Biles’ Excellence is in another stratosphere when it comes to her competitors. And therein lies opportunity and controversy. –By Brian Hurlburt, Founder and Host, Magnifying Excellence Podcast.
UPDATE to STORY – Biles was forced to withdraw from the women’s team competition due to a medical issue that occurred during her performance, when we was unsuccessful in a vault attempt. Our story was published prior to this occurring. This is a developing story with very few details available.
From theguardian.com about Biles–the 2016 Olympic gold medalist–pressure on the International Gymnastics Federation’s Women’s Technical Committee (WTC):
What is clear is that Biles’ excellence has exposed the ineptitude of the WTC. Instead of endeavoring to create a code of points that allows a variety of different types of gymnasts to thrive, it has attempted to construct it with its own preferences in mind which almost always centers on nostalgia for gymnastics of the past. The control it exerts on the sport also extends beyond skills to the “modesty” of gymnasts’ make-up.
You see, Biles performs at such a high level, no other gymnasts in the world can perform the routines she does.
The headline of the Guardian article was, “Simone Biles’ desire to innovate is frustrated by her own insular sport.”
The conclusion of writer Tumaini Carayol?
The WTC’s refusal to properly reward new skills is in danger of creating a world where gymnastic routines are tediously similar.
Decide your opinion by reading the entire article here