As the year wraps up, a fresh controversy is sparking intense discussions. A newly introduced rule for Ukraine’s national gymnastics championship has shifted the focus toward prioritizing younger gymnasts over seasoned veterans, raising eyebrows. This championship, essential for selecting top athletes to represent Ukraine in international competitions, has highlighted the impact of this rule—not just during the event but as a larger shift in Ukraine’s gymnastics landscape. The change has generated significant buzz among athletes and coaches, with many openly sharing their thoughts—and now, another big name has joined in!

Oleg Verniaiev, the 2016 Olympic champion in parallel bars and all-around silver medalist, has spoken out. Competing on the Olympic stage in Paris, Verniaiev joined his teammates Chepurnyi, Kovtun, Radivilov, and Stelmakh, helping Ukraine qualify for the team final. He gave his all, competing in all six events and contributing to the team’s fifth-place finish. Individually, he placed eighth in the all-around, fifth on pommel horse, and eighth on parallel bars. Now, after an illustrious career, he’s voicing his thoughts on this shake-up in Ukrainian gymnastics.

On November 4, Oleg Verniaiev took to Instagram to shed light on the storm brewing within Ukrainian gymnastics, addressing the shifts that have affected the championship and the sport. With a career woven from over two decades of dedication, Verniaiev passionately declared, “I devoted more than 20 years of my life to gymnastics.” This, he feels, gives him every right to speak out as an Olympic and World Champion who has poured his heart into the sport.

Reflecting on the recent Ukrainian Championship, Verniaiev voiced his disappointment, emphasizing that this event is meant to select the best athletes to represent Ukraine internationally, not to showcase “children who were drawn from different regions for the number and artificial creation of the scale of the event.” Verniaiev noted that many national team members were competing abroad during this time, yet the Ministry of Youth and Sports insisted that some Olympic participants would still attend, raising the question of “For whom? For what?”

Verniaiev felt the entire event had been reduced to a “one-man show,” a spectacle focused more on personal promotion than true athletic growth. According to him, this isn’t just a poor decision; it’s a betrayal to all who have dedicated their lives to gymnastics. Verniaiev also highlighted concerns for the athletes’ safety. During the event, shells reportedly fell close to where gymnasts were practicing, but when athletes raised this concern, organizers allegedly brushed it off with, “Well, nothing, alive, right?” Verniaiev’s frustration was palpable, questioning how such disregard could go unaddressed.

Further, he revealed that instead of nurturing young athletes, those in charge seem to create obstacles. “Talented guys are deprived of the opportunity to gain experience for the sake of other people’s ambitions,” he said, pointing to incidents where permissions to compete abroad are withheld, reportedly based on personal bias. Verniaiev himself was denied the support he needed from his preferred coach, met with, “You can handle it yourself.”

In a final plea, Verniaiev urged everyone involved to stay engaged and amplify this issue, calling for a supportive and healthy environment within Ukrainian gymnastics: “If we do not do it now, give it even more publicity, gymnastics in our country will not have even the slightest chance of development.” For him, only by building a foundation of respect and opportunity can Ukrainian gymnastics truly flourish. But how does one get selected for nationals when it comes to the US?

What does it take to reach gymnastics nationals?

In gymnastics, even after scores are posted, the wait continues for many athletes. Once the competition ends, gymnasts head to a private room, hoping to hear if they’ve made the U.S. team. The selection process combines scores with subjective decisions—while top all-around finishers from trials typically secure an Olympic spot, a committee decides the remaining spots based on who can best boost the team’s score. This blend of skill and strategy keeps everyone guessing.

To make it to nationals, gymnasts have several paths. Those named to the Senior National or Development Team in prior events like the 2023 U.S. Championships or 2024 Winter Cup qualify, as do the top five in the Men’s Point Program rankings. NCAA Championships top all-around finishers within the top 10 qualify too, along with top young talents from the Men’s Development Nationals.

For the Olympic Trials, athletes named to the Senior National Team after Nationals move forward, with others potentially petitioning for a shot. Each path, no matter how rigorous, is a step closer to the ultimate goal.