2025 - 2028 WAG COP - A Deeper Dive

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The purpose of this thread is to summarize the WTC presentation on the 2025-2028 WAG COP per the slides from the judges' course available via STS / FIG judges' training software.

I will break out the various sections below and included highlights of changes, with an emphasis on clarifications on criteria for awarding credit on elements or evaluating the execution of skills. Therefore, I am not including things such as the one Jaeger limitation on uneven bars, or the increase of B + D direct acro CV on floor exercise. Some information is not new, but I have included it below because the WTC has either highlighted something or provided rationale for a rule.

 

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Section 8 - Technical Directives

A. 8.1.3 - Falls on Landing (Criteria for Awarding DV)
- When there is a fall, contact with the ball of the foot is required for DV to be awarded

B. 8.2.1 - Rewarding DV for turns

1. Credit for Turns in Tuck Stand / Wolf Turns

• If the leg / foot is placed on the beam before the hips and shoulders complete the turn, then recognize another element in the COP (e.g. Mitchell / triple turn in tuck stand -> double turn in tuck stand)
• Hips must be no higher than slightly above knee level for the body shape to be credited in a turn in tuck stand

2. Credit for Illusion Turns

• The degrees of turn are determined starting from the moment the turning foot is placed on the beam / floor and ending upon completion of the illusion
• Hips and shoulders must be fully rotated before placing the free leg down

C. 8.2.2 - Credit for Turning Dance Elements

• When element lands on two feet, the position of the front foot is decisive (similar to landing of twisting saltos)
• When element lands on one foot, the hips and shoulders are decisive

D. 8.3 - Requirements for Selected Dance Elements

1. Scale

• No DV awarded if gymnast grasps under the beam

2. Pike Jump

• Legs must be above horizontal to avoid body shape deductions
• Legs at horizontal -> Small fault, 0.1
• Legs below horizontal -> Medium fault, 0.3

3. Ring Elements

• Shoulder must be in line with the buttock (demonstrates sufficient arch)
• When gymnast reaches maximum amplitude of ring position, but front leg is at 45 degrees or below, credit as split ring leap, with body shape deduction of 0.5.

Example:

• Switch Ring Leap with ½ turn does not require the turn to be performed after the ring shape is attained to receive credit (note this is different from the split ring leap with 1/2 turn where the ring position needs to be attained before the 1/2 turn for the element to receive credit)
• Stag ring jump is now downgraded to a stag jump if no arch and head release or back foot below crown of head (Previously, no DV was awarded if these criteria were not met. This change is due to the stag jump reentering the COP.)

E. 8.4.3 - Circle Elements with Turn on Uneven Bars

• If element does not reach 10 degrees of handstand and turn is obvious/necessary for a safe landing prior to fall, do not credit as circle with turn

Example:

 

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Section 9 - General Faults & Penalties

A. 9.3 Table of Deductions

1. Bent Arms/Bent Knees

• Slight bend of arms is permitted to absorb landing (e.g. in back handspring)

2. Legs or Knees Separation

• 0.1 deduction defined as when external part of knee is still in line with the shoulders
• 0.3 deduction defined as when internal part of knee is shoulder width or more

3. Body and/or Leg Position in Elements (Non-Dance)

• Hollow position will be credited as stretched, but will receive deduction for body alignment

4. Landing Deductions

• When feet are parallel on landing, they are permitted to be slightly apart with no deduction
• Uncontrolled landings in pirouettes and dance elements landing on one foot receive deduction for lack of balance
• Uncontrolled landings in dance elements landing on two feet receive deduction for steps, or hops/jumps