Opinion: One spot has potential to cause big mess for US women’s gymnastics team for Tokyo

FORT WORTH, Texas – Making the U.S. team for the Tokyo Olympics is already going to be tough enough. It doesn’t need to be made more difficult.

Yet that’s a potential scenario because of absurdity by the International Gymnastics Federation, timidity by USA Gymnastics and, yes, self-centeredness by Jade Carey and her father Brian, who is also her coach.

As it stands now, the United States will be able to take six women to Tokyo: a four-person team; Carey; and another “plus-one” athlete that is likely to go to an event specialist. But Carey’s spot, which hasn’t been officially awarded but is mathematically clinched by her success at the individual event World Cup series, is nominative, meaning it belongs to her and her alone.

If Carey gives it up to compete as part of the four-person U.S. team, that takes an opportunity away from another American. Instead of five spots being available, there will be only four, and one of her teammates will see her Olympic dream evaporate.

“Everybody knows that. She knows it. We know that,” national team coordinator Tom Forster said after the national championships concluded Sunday night. “But we live in world of athlete-centeredness, and the athletes have the choice. So it will be up to her if she’s in that position.”

Source: Read Full Article