There is some precedent for this: The statement cited a previous downgrading in value of the Produnova vault, a handspring with a double front tuck. This is particularly dangerous because gymnasts can’t see the floor as they land. But Biles’s new dismount does not have such a landing.

In short, the federation statement reeks of paternalism and hypocrisy. Just as Usain Bolt toppled records for speed, gymnasts are always pushing past the boundaries of what is thought possible. In 1976, Nadia Comaneci dismounted the beam with what today would be a laughably simple double twist , receiving a perfect 10 (displayed as a 1.0 because the scoreboard wasn’t equipped to show 10.0). In 1992, Tatiana Lysenko won Olympic gold for a beam routine ending with a double back flip — no twists. Shawn Johnson triumphed in Beijing in 2008 with a dismount that had one fewer twist than Biles’s new move.

That’s not to say that safety should not be a consideration. Coaches are allowed to “spot” gymnasts for release moves on uneven bars, and that’s a good thing. But here’s something that would benefit gymnasts and spectators alike: allowing gymnasts a quick warm-up on the equipment in the arena just minutes before they compete in the finals, as occurs in the earlier rounds . Event finals feature many of the best gymnasts, with among the hardest routines, yet they can’t warm up on the actual equipment they compete on .

And if safety were the top priority, the international gymnastics federation would allow Danusia Francis of Jamaica an additional mat during her beam routine. Unlike most gymnasts, who dismount onto a thick mat at the end of the beam, Francis performs a sideways flip from the beam’s center, where the mat is shorter.