Leading up to the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup, Olympic bronze medalist Frederick Richard teased what he called an innovative new uniform for men’s gymnastics. In a video for The Players’ Tribune, he shared his frustrations with the traditional men’s uniform, which consists of a form-fitting top and either loose shorts or long pants, depending on the event. Richard revealed that he had designed a new kit. Despite the uniform not meeting the official requirements, he announced that he would wear it at the Winter Cup, accepting the necessary deduction.
Over this past weekend, we saw the uniform in action. As much as I like Richard as a gymnast, he’s missing the mark with this campaign.
Let’s start with Richard’s main critique of the uniform — the tightness. In the video, he explains, “I have all these muscles, but for some reason, I’m squeezing them as tight as possible.” Richard is friends with sprinter Noah Lyles. To achieve world-record sprint times, Lyles wears a “speed suit” — a form-fitting unitard with a snug top. Does Richard think his friend, the fastest sprinter in the world, looks ridiculous in his gear?
At a Tufts track meet this weekend, I thought about Richard’s new uniform design while observing the men’s pole vault. Track and Field offers more uniform customization than most sports, with a variety of tops (loose, tight or long-sleeve) and bottoms ranging from sweatpants to leggings, knee-length tight shorts or loose ‘short’ shorts. Yet, despite having the option to wear baggy clothing — which Richard considers the ‘cool’ choice — no male pole vaulter chose it because it simply doesn’t work for the event. Like gymnastics, the pole vault involves complex movements where body control, especially around the hips, is crucial.
Any uniform should be based on the requirements of the specific sport. I’ve explored in the past how gymnastics attire should be designed with function in mind first. A uniform must meet three conditions: safety, visibility and range of motion. Safety is the most important factor — loose shorts can pose a risk in events where hands pass near the hips, as they might get caught on the fabric. Visibility is crucial too. When you see shorts and pants side by side, it’s clear that loose shorts obscure the leg line and baggy shirts hide back alignment. For example, on the pommel horse, a straight line from toes to shoulders is crucial; on rings or parallel bars, a loose shirt can mask proper back positioning. I’m not against uniform changes if they meet these three requirements. For example, Aiko Sugihara of Japan sometimes wears the “Ai-tard,” a biketard she designed for more coverage than a leotard, and I think it’s a great option. Unfortunately, while Richard’s new uniform offers an appropriate range of motion, it doesn't meet safety or visibility standards.
One concern I’ve heard is that uniforms can influence whether kids stick with boys’ gymnastics, especially in middle school. In general, I support some flexibility in uniform choices for children — even if it means sacrificing some aesthetics — as long as they are safe and allow for fair judging. For example, I am in favor of the semi-recent change allowing girls to wear tight shorts over their leotards in competition. However, Frederick is a grown man now, and this whole campaign comes across as insecure.
In the video, Richard says, “You start to think about legacy when you go to these competitions and all the younger kids are looking up to you.” Do most boys have an issue with their uniform? I’m not sure, but seeing their idol criticize a functional uniform as ‘goofy’ is what is actually likely to cause a problem. What boys really need isn’t a new uniform — they need a confident role model in men’s gymnastics.
