Fans Stand by Fred Richard as Us Gymnast Breaks 130-Year-Old Tradition at Winter Cup 2025

Gymnastics has rules, man—strict ones. And for 130 years, the Singlets have been one of them. Same tight tank, same pommel horse pants, same everything. It’s like a time capsule nobody wanted to crack open. But then comes Fred Richard, walking into the Winter Cup 2025 as he owns it! And let’s just say—he isn’t sticking to the script. The moment he stepped onto that floor, heads turned, judges blinked twice, and the internet? Oh, it went straight-up feral. What did he do? Oh, just rewrite history!

The Olympic medalist Fred Richard? Yeah, he’s low-key built differently. He just couldn’t do it anymore and looked at those outdated singlets and said on 12th February, “I’m making this change…..” And he waited for the right moment, and he did. Right at the Winter Cup 2025, a huge national event that decides who makes the U.S. team. This wasn’t just a small statement—it was a whole new revolution.

He knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn’t just making noise for the sake of it. “I honestly hate this uniform, so I’m changing it,” he straight-up declared in an Instagram reel on February 20th, letting the world know he was about to rewrite history. Think about it—130 years of the same rigid, old-school aesthetic, and this 20-year-old phenom just said, “We’re getting rid of that.” If that ain’t bold, we don’t know what is!

Now, let’s be real: this wasn’t just some easy, no-risk fashion statement. The rules are literally locked in. Step outside the uniform code? Automatic deduction. No exceptions. But Fred didn’t flinch. “…So this weekend, the uniform will be debuted. No one’s seen it yet, but I’m going to be deducted for wearing this uniform. So I’ll have to still perform really well, and I’m going to have to pop off so I can still win,” he said. Man, he was willing to give up points—actual competition points—to push the sport forward. That’s some real superhero energy.

And when Fred finally stepped out at the Winter Cup? Oh boy, he was COOKIN’. The man rocked Michigan’s maize and blue basketball-style jersey with shorts, throwing in white compression leggings for that extra sauce. That old-school unitard look? Dead. Done. Buried. He didn’t just perform—he made a statement. And to top it off, he hit Instagram with a reel, showing off his routine with the in-video text, “Adding a new skill with the new look.” If confidence had a face, it’d be Fred Richard. And fans are all in for it!

Fred Richard wins the internet after breaking a 130-year tradition

The second those clips hit IG, the gymnastics world went berserk. Comments flooded in, and for once, the internet actually agreed on something—Fred Richard just did something legendary!

The fans started with, “Wearing regular gym shorts over leggings for sport shouldn’t be epic sht. Nobody would blink an eye if it were track and field, basketball, soccer… whatever the reason—modesty, comfort, religion—it shouldn’t matter. THANK YOU for being the one brave enough to do something different and for paving the way for others to follow suit, especially women! HHH.” Facts! Those fitted leotards worn by women gymnasts must be uncomfortable for them as well. Maybe this is the start of the conversation!

Another fan hyped him up, saying, “I love the uniform, Fred. I couldn’t think of a better person to make a change.” Straight-up facts. Who else has the guts to pull this off on a national stage? One person really saw the vision: “I feel like I can see the freedom in your movement with the new uniform. Congrats!” And honestly, that’s the whole point. This ain’t just about looking cool (even though he looked cool)—it’s about competing at the highest level while feeling comfortable in your own skin.

Of course, not everyone low-key completely sold, one fan gave back-handed flowers: “Love the jersey and shorts. Can’t say I love the white leggings, but I think they look silly when NBA players wear them too, so that’s 100 percent a ME problem, not a you problem. Overall, it has to be what you are comfortable and confident in, and that lets the judges see your lines, and I think this qualifies!” Not everyone was feeling the full fit, but they had to respect the drip—it’s all about rocking what makes you feel confident and lets the judges see those clean lines.

One creative mind even threw in some design suggestions: “Love the shirt and shorts. Super strong. I would be interested in seeing blue leggings, maybe with a yellow stripe?? Something sporty but matching so the legs don’t disconnect? But it would look a little like a football uniform.” The choice of color may not have sat well with the fans, but the purpose did! After all, Fred did all of it so that young boys can overcome insecurity and sports can thrive.

Look, end of the day, Fred Richard didn’t just show up to Winter Cup—he changed the game. And the best part? He did it HIS way. The internet’s got his back, the fans are riding with him, and now? The rest of the gymnastics world has no choice but to take notice. This ain’t just about uniforms. This is about the future. And just like that, Fred became gymnastics’ own MLK—breaking barriers and flipping the script like a boss.