U.S. Elite Gymnasts Stand Together During Uncertainty

U.S. Elite Gymnasts Stand Together During Uncertainty

Behind the scenes, the best elites in the country are still hard at work, day in and day out.

Feb 5, 2018 by Becca Reed
U.S. Elite Gymnasts Stand Together During Uncertainty

In the words of Simone Biles, USA Gymnastics is "falling apart." The organization is losing sponsors, the entire board has resigned, USAG ended their agreement with the Karolyi Ranch, national team training camps are being cancelled, the national team coordinator Valeri Liukin resigned, and USAG is no longer sending teams to the International Gymnix or City of Jesolo Trophy.

However, behind the scenes, gymnasts around the country are still hard at work, even though they are working toward a future that seems uncertain. And now, some of the top elites are coming together and showing unity publicly.

Elite gymnasts have been posting images of lineups with the hashtag #WST — which stands for "We Stand Together" — along with an image of chain links. At a time when the gymnasts feel that there is no one at the organization leading them, they've decided to stand together and be each other's support.

The most common image shows a panoramic picture of a lineup from the national team training camp at the Ranch with Liukin in charge. Gymnasts who have posted the image include Morgan Hurd, Margzetta Frazier, Riley McCusker, Jade Carey, Olivia Dunne, Ragan Smith, and Jordan Chiles.

Gymnasts have also been flooding these posts with comments of the chain links to show support and solidarity.

Margzetta Frazier, a current senior national team member, not only posted a lineup picture, but also a message. 

Frazier's post raises many questions, but the main question is how is this all affecting current gymnasts?

Frazier asks, "Will the countless hours of hard work put in my teammates and fellow gymnast[s] be worthless?" 

While it's crucial to cover, look into, and investigate Larry Nassar and the people and organization who enabled, allowed, and ignored the abuse, let's also make sure to celebrate and support the current gymnasts, and work to ensure that they still get the same opportunities that past ones did.

To gymnasts across the nation: We see you. We support you. You matter. And your futures are bright