Olympian Frederick ‘Flips’ Richard Yearns To Bring ‘Modern-Day Switch’ To Men’s Gymnastics Apparel

He is working with Turn Gymnastics to debut his own line, 'Frederick Flips'

Olympian gymnast Frederick “Flips” Richard introduced a new gymnastics uniform that he hopes can be “a modern-day switch.”

According to NBC News, Richard is trying to change the look of the uniform that athletes have become accustomed to so they can have one that has a “much more comfortable feel.” The gymnast stated that since the last Olympics, he’s been working with a designer to “find all the pain points that I hate about the uniform” so they can produce a better uniform for gymnasts.

Richard and the designer have partnered with Turn Gymnastics, a gymnastics apparel company, to make the new uniform. He took to social media to explain part of the reason he took on this venture: to change the look of the uniforms gymnasts wear when they are competing.

“I’m making this change for my 10-year-old self who felt awkward in tights and embarrassed to tell people I’m pursuing a “girls” sport. And for every kid who still feels that way today. I’ve made it my goal to change this sport because no young boy should feel these insecurities in a sport as amazing as this one👌🏾
The world and culture [have] changed… Now it’s time for the sport and the uniform to change. Thank you, @turngymnastics, for helping me push gymnastics forward. The new era of men’s gymnastics uniforms is coming…”

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The altered look of the uniform replaces the tight unitard and pants that cover a gymnast’s feet. The upper top is a looser-fitting tank top, and the bottom looks more like basketball shorts, which have optional leggings that men can wear in events like a pommel horse when their legs can skim the apparatus.

“It’s pretty simple, but it’s kind of just much more comfortable feel,” he told the media outlet.

Richard said that a website will launch soon, allowing gyms to customize and order uniforms for their teams.

“People in the crowd eventually will get to wear our jerseys, will get to wear our uniforms, which is something you don’t see in gymnastics.”

The gymnast intends to wear the new uniform whenever he competes to showcase the look in front of others watching. Turn Gymnastics will launch the official “Frederick Flips” line when the website debuts. He hopes that the more he wears it and people see it, the more people will be on board with the change.

“My dream is to walk into the L.A. Olympics being able to wear it,” Richard said.