2025 - 2028 WAG COP - A Deeper Dive

[Concorde]

Section 13 - Floor Exercise - D Score

A. 13.3 Composition Requirements

1. Dance Passage

• CR is not fulfilled by back and forth travel pattern, i.e. if the gymnast performs the first element of a dance passage, then reverses direction and performs the second element traveling along the original pattern

Example:

• While turns are typically not allowed in a dance passage, using a 1/2 turn or 3/4 turn (piroutte with no DV) for changing directions is permitted

Example:



B. Technical Requirements for Specific Elements

1. Double Salto Stretched with Twist

• Criteria for double layout (with no twist) now applies to receive credit for stretched position.
  • Majority of salto must be maintained in stretched position
  • If piking on entry into second salto, then recognize as pike salto
  • When grasping legs to initiate second salto, then consider as pike

Section 13 - Floor Exercise - E Score

A. Specific Elements

1. Turns in Tuck Stand / Wolf Turn

• Common execution errors resulting in 0.3 deduction is bent knee at beginning of turn + not ideal body posture throughout turn (two small errors -> medium deduction)

2. Landings of dance elements

• If rebound in same place upon landing, no deduction for hop

Vault and Artistry to come...

 

[Denn]

EDITED — I had the images backwards!

It says "two small errors -> medium deduction." That language was removed after 2021, seemingly implying that it should be two separate 0.1 deductions.

2017-2021

2022-2024

So is there language somewhere going back to the (unfair) 2017-2021 rule?

 

[Concorde]

So is there language somewhere going back to the (unfair) 2017-2021 rule?

The rule has not changed since the previous COP. My note regarding the 0.3 deduction on the wolf turn was just simplifying the full language of the line about how multiple small faults will be deducted as 0.3.

 

[Denn]

The rule has not changed since the previous COP. My note regarding the 0.3 deduction on the wolf turn was just simplifying the full language of the line about how multiple small faults will be deducted as 0.3.

Where do you see that language in either the 2022-2024 Code or the 2025 code? My screenshots show that this language was removed in 2022. But I could be missing something.

 

[Concorde]

Where do you see that language in either the 2022-2024 Code or the 2025 code? My screenshots show that this language was removed in 2022. But I could be missing something.

In true WTC fashion, it’s buried within the presentation slides. Each slide toggles between the main principle and additional notes, and it’s mentioned there. Also, some of the examples use this principle as well.

 

[Denn]

Thank you for sharing that. Can you share 2 examples you saw where it's really clear that 1 + 1 turned into 3? or 3 + 1 turned into 5?

BTW, I didn't say thank you yet, and I really appreciate you sharing excerpts from the presentation. It's not right that so much of the implementation is embedded in supplementary documentation, but you have helped not just me but I am sure many other people here understand more fully what is not written in the Code itself, and you've distilled the key stuff to save us all time. That's very generous of you.

 

[Concorde]

Section 10 - Vault - D Score

- Unlike the other three apparatus, no clarifications required(straight forward in-line with the COP)

Section 10 - Vault - E Score

A. Pre-Flight / First Flight Phase

1. Hip Angle

• Visual examples provided for 0.00 / 0.10 / 0.30 deductions
• 0.00 / hips completely/almost completely straight
• 0.10 / hip angle appears to be 45 degrees (no actual angle given)
• 0.30 / hip angle is close to 90 degrees

2. Arch

• Visual examples provided for 0.00 / 0.10 / 0.30 deductions
• 0.00 / no to minimal arch
• 0.10 / no formal description, but to me it looks like the arch shape often shown in Pak saltos on uneven bars
• 0.30 / 'J' curve where the head and torso are nearly parallel to the floor

B. Repulsion / Support Phase

1. Bent Arms

• On Group 3 / Tsukahara vaults, the first arm is permitted to be bent with no deduction

C. Second Flight Phase

1. Excessive Snap

• The WTC presentation splits this into excessive snap for backward vaults and excessive hip angle for forward vaults with the same deductions for each. However, the COP currently only shows a deduction for Excessive snap.

2. Insufficient Height

• Judges should be looking for the difference in height of the gymnast's center of gravity at repulsion and the maximum height attained.

3. General Note for Form Errors

• Deductions for leg form can be taken across the different phases of the vault. However, deduction for feet not pointed is only taken once for the vault as a whole.

4. Under rotation of vault

• Apply deduction when the step or fall is in the opposite direction of the vault (e.g. front pike vault and gymnast steps backwards)

5. Dynamics

• Defined as active, forceful, energetic, explosive change in the intensity of performance

Section 10 - Vault - Line Deductions

- Gymnast must land and finish to a stable stand in the marked corridor. Until this point, if the gymnast goes out of the border line, deductions are applied. (e.g. gymnast lands vault and attempts to salute immediately, but shows lack of balance and meanwhile steps over the line)

Example:

 

[Doug1233]

Hips must be no higher than slightly above knee level for the body shape to be credited in a turn in tuck stand

I've been moaning about this for YEARS. But I think this is better addressed via the E Panel. Think of the utter confusion between a E Panel judge hitting this with a 0.5 body shape, and the D Panel downgrading a Double Wolf (D) to Double Turn (B).

 

[Doug1233]

3. Turn with free leg held in 180 degree split / 'Y' turn

• 45 degree tolerance allowed to attain split position

Becky Downie is cursing this rule change! She got hit so many times for this!

 

[Doug1233]

B. Adjustment

Defined as:

• More than one step without choreogrpahy

This is a change. So one step without choreography is fine now?

 

[KristyJ]

This is a change. So one step without choreography is fine now?

I hope so because not to allow that was idiotic on their part

 

[Concorde]

A Few Notes Regarding the Evaluation of Dance Elements:

Based on examples in STS, gymnasts need to be showing full positions in real time to avoid body shape deductions.

Example:

Real Time - Split jump appears to be just short of 180 degree split
Slow Motion /Freeze Frame - Split jump attains 180 degree split
Judging Result -> 0.1 deduction for body shape

Obviously things like the quality of the video(clarity, frame rate, angle, etc.) can make an element look better or worse than it does in person so I can understand why you are posting the still images. Also, I do agree with a number of points that you are making with regards to the WTC's approach to evaluating execution as being overly harsh or nonsensical.

So this is –0.5. I mean, it's not the best, but 0.5???????
View attachment 11465

This is a 0.5 because:

• In real time, the front leg appears to be much closer to 45 degrees below horizontal when she hits the peak ring position -> Medium fault
• Insufficient arch (head not over back thigh)
• In addition, per the WTC presentation, when the gymnast uses this technique(called 'rocking horse') where the leap looks segmented (kick forward to split position with forward leg, then hit the ring position while the forward leg drops to 45 degrees), it is an automatic 0.5 body shape deduction.

This is –0.1. Why??
View attachment 11466

In real time the front foot looks to be pointing up / slight flex as opposed to pointed, but agree that it seems unnecessarily harsh.

–0.5.
View attachment 11468

I believe this is a 0.5 because:

• Extended leg below horizontal -> Medium fault
• Flexed foot and left knee is slightly under the level of the right leg
• Combining the above errors -> 0.5

–0.3
View attachment 11469

In real time the back leg appears to be further below horizontal than in this image.

–0.1. Leg bend doesn't matter so much I guess.
View attachment 11470

Correct - Back leg stretched / If 135 degree bend criteria not meant = Small fault

–0.5. Her back upper leg is a LITTLE low. MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
View attachment 11471

In real time, the back foot and forward leg appear to be a bit lower than in this still image.

 

[Denn]

The athletes should protest this. What the committee is doing is downright harmful.

They are telling gymnasts that that no matter what they do, it is nearly impossible to earn full points for an element. They are there simply to tear down the gymnasts, punishing them way more harshly than they should and fabricating mistakes that aren't there.

What a disgrace.

What can WE do about this? I feel like there should be some sort of campaign here.

 

[KristyJ]

They way they are evaluating real time is the exact opposite of how I was trained back when I was judging. We literally trained to spot when 180 was hit when it wasn't as obvious to the casual observer. It boggles my mind, especially when it basically requires an oversplit now.

 

[Caledi]

I agree. I almost feel like who's to say what is visible in realtime? If I have poor eyesight or am not well-trained enough to spot a 180 split, does that mean I get to deduct it because it wasn't "visible" to me? It just feels very unobjective, which is strange considering that all of the micro-managing in the code seemed aimed at making things more objective.

 

[JaJa]

I agree. I almost feel like who's to say what is visible in realtime? If I have poor eyesight or am not well-trained enough to spot a 180 split, does that mean I get to deduct it because it wasn't "visible" to me? It just feels very unobjective, which is strange considering that all of the micro-managing in the code seemed aimed at making things more objective.

Yes. And also adds credence to those who argue gymnastics should not be considered a "real" sport because of the high level of subjectivity in judging.