Jordyn Wieber

“First of all I want to say a huge thank you to my spine for supporting me.” –Angelina Melnikova, after winning the Birmingham World Cup.

Comp news

The Cups: Read The Gymternet’s coverage of the Doha World Cup and the Birmingham World Cup.

Rosters: Please tell me if you know something I don’t.

2018 Commonwealth Games (subdivisions): Australia, Canada, Cayman Islands (WAG), Cyprus, England (Stanhope in, Tinkler out), Isle of Man (WAG), India, Jamaica (MAG), Jersey, Malaysia, Malta (WAG), Namibia (MAG), New Zealand, Nigeria (MAG), Northern Ireland (MAG), Scotland, Singapore, South Africa (WAG), Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago (MAG), Wales

Tokyo World Cup

Jesolo: Russia, USA, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, Venezuela

What’s happening

The org: USA Gymnastics has filed a court brief arguing that the org is not liable for former national team doctor Larry Nassar’s actions, and requesting that lawsuits against the org be dismissed.

The feds: The $1.3 trillion federal spending bill that was signed into law on Friday includes funding to help prevent abuse in amateur sports.

The state of Michigan

Bow before your queen: Jordyn Wieber spoke at Michigan State University on Thursday about coming to terms with being a survivor and making the decision to speak out. She also criticized MSU Interim President John Engler’s recent actions, saying “Survivors are not your enemy.”

Nuclear fallout: Experts estimate that the fallout from the Larry Nassar case will end up costing MSU more than $500 million, more than twice the cost of the sexual abuse scandal at Penn State.

You’re hired: Survivor Brianne Randall-Gay has been hired as a consultant for Meridian Township, the same township where her complaints against Nassar were ignored by police in 2004. Randall-Gay will help the community build a sexual assault prevention program.

The office: Engler announced on Friday that MSU will launch a new Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance. The office will oversee other offices that investigate complaints and organize outreach efforts.

This comes a day after a report was released stating that “misinformation” regarding sexual assault prevention is an issue on campus.

Sidenote: I don’t care about how the abuse scandal affected basketball.

Required reading

• Why we should ban non-disclosure agreements like the one included in McKayla Maroney’s settlement with USAG (Chicago Tribune).
• Read this incredible interview with the one, the only Aimee Boorman (Medium).
• MSU is botching its reputation-rehab (The Atlantic).
• Beth Tweddle was a pioneer for British women’s gymnastics (RadioTimes).
• Sports Illustrated breaks down whether USAG and MSU are legally liable for Nassar’s abuse.
• “MSU administrators have thoroughly botched the handling of the Nassar case at every turn” (ThinkProgress).

Star status

Mark your calendars: Laurie Hernandez is busy. Her agent says the beam queen plans to compete in 2019. Hernandez also recently appeared on a show called Wild ‘n Out, which I’m told is something the young people are into these days. Then she got slimed.

British eyes only: Since the Brits can’t have anything nice, Amy Tinkler was injured at the Birmingham World Cup and won’t make it to Commonwealths.

Meanwhile, compatriot Becky Downie is looking ahead toward Euros and worlds after injuring her elbow in April.

On the up and up: Romania’s only hope Larisa Iordache is making progress in her recovery from her Achilles injury.

Fare thee well: Olympian Ailen Valente of Argentina has announced her retirement.

NCAA corner

We’re a shoo-in for regionals, right? UW-Whitewater, Lindenwood, Yale, Bridgeport, NC State, Central Michigan, Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma, UCLA, San Jose State, and Boise State are your 2018 conference champs.

Here are your regionals groupings, via Spencer at The Balance Beam Situation.

Achilles’ wrath: Florida senior Kennedy Baker has company in the torn Achilles department, and her club teammates are friendship goals.

Just give up do it: Miss Val is trying to do a pull-up, and I’m here to remind her (and you all) that trying is the first step towards failure.

Throwback: This wonky vault used to be worth a 10 back in the day.

Staying social

Dance Dance Russian Revolution: Watch Uliana Perebinosova of Russia’s coach’s reaction after she hits bars at Doha. Then, rub your eyes and watch it again.

Punch it: The fist pump at the end of Margzetta Frazier’s floor routine at Birmingham is all you need to know about how that comp went for her.

Mesh mess: Did Slovenian gymnast Adela Sajn wear a throwback leo, or did Slovenian gymnast Adela Sajn wear THE throwback leo?

Wut: International Gymnastics Camp will now require female athletes to wear shorts or leggings during workouts, and the twitterverse is not pleased.

Unrelated(?): Aly Raisman tweeted that claiming that leotards are part of the problem is “victim shaming.”

Nastics: Ball-based sport player Lebron James adorably took his adorable daughter to her first “nastics” class and it was adorable.

For a cause: Nastia Liukin’s fiancé Matt Lombardi is running the Boston Marathon for the Corey Foundation.

Need to know

Aly Raisman’s childhood home is up for sale. It’s on Aly Raisman Way, and costs just $2.5 million. Oh that? That’s the sound of me smashing my penny jar.

Last words

Looks like Aliya Mustafina is a Slytherin, with a little bit of Ravenclaw thrown in for good measure.

Next up—Larisa Iordache: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, or Hufflepuff? Friendly reminder that there are no bad houses, only bad wolf turns.

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