Olympian Fred Richard Defying Gymnastics Rules to Wear More Comfortable Uniform: ‘I Get to Change the Sport’

Mar. 15, 2025

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Olympic gymnastFred Richardis determined to “change” the sport, and his next focus is on the restrictive uniforms.

“When I grew up, I wanted to be the superhero of gymnastics, just doing things that no one thought was possible,” said Richard in a video forThe Players’ Tribuneahead of his appearance at the 2025 Winter Cup, which begins on Friday, Feb. 21. “But I felt like, ‘Why are we in tights? Why do we look like this?’ I just decided one day that it’s me that has to make these changes.”

“It’s kind of like my, ‘Hello world.’ I got that from Tiger Woods. It’s kind of just telling the world that you are going to be something special,” Richard said.

Fred Richard.Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty

Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty

That same confidence is driving his decision to change his uniform at the 2025 Winter Cup, which serves as a qualifying meet for the U.S. National Championships, even though he’ll automatically lose points, regardless of his performance on the mat.

“I think if you asked my parents, I think they would tell you that I was destined to stand out,” says Richard, who is also a student at the University of Michigan, in The Players’ Tribune video. “You’ve got struggles where you’re the only Black kid competing. There’s five boys in the gym with 100 kids, 90 girls, and you’re struggling with this restricted, uncomfortable uniform.”

Richard explains that he watched basketball legend Michael Jordan challenge uniform requirements, and hopes to do the same. (Jordan famously was fined $5,000 every time he wore his signature black and red Nikes, a direct violation of the NBA’s former uniform requirements.)

“But look what he built,” says Richard of Jordan in the video. “ I have these same obstacles, these same tests.”

PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty

In a Feb. 20Instagram post, the 2023 U.S. Championships high bar champion outlined the three pieces of a gymnast’s standard uniform he will change for the upcoming meet. He targeted pommel horse pants, unitards, and the “tight tank top.”

“We can make it way looser,” he said in the post, “but still will show everything it needs to show, look clean.”

Richard said that he’s ready for the criticism.

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“But I’m going to be deducted for wearing this uniform,” he said on Instagram. “So, I’ll have to still perform really well and I’m going to have to pop off, so I can still win.”

The uniform change is part of the vision Richard has for his legacy.

source: people.com