How spectacular 'Korbut Flip' got banned from gymastics in Olympics

The Korbut Flip is one of the most spectacular moves in gymastics, but current Olympic gymnasts are forbidden from attempting it, and the reason behind it, is the tremendous risk involved in performing the move.

Olga Korbut of Belarus, who represented the Soviet Union at Munich in 1972, enthralled the 11,000 strong crowds during the Games, as she invented arguably one of the finest moments in Games history.

Korbut stood on the high bar, executed a back flip and grasped the bar once more. No one had ever performed a back flip on the uneven bars in a worldwide competition before.

"It was amazing. One day, I was a nobody, and the next day, I was a star," The New York Daily News quoted Korbut, as recalling later on.

Olga's groundbreaking 1972 Games performance received 9.8 out of 10, much to the chagrin of the crowd.

But later on, standing on the high bar was later declared illegal in accordance with the Code of Points, banning the Korbut Flip from Olympic competition because of the high level of risk involved.

Korbut was left frustrated and livid by the decision.

"Gymnasts are not guaranteed against injury. In effect, I am asked to revise my views on gymnastics without being given any choice in the matter. Gymnastics is about expression," Korbut said.

Korbut's expression didn't stop with the Korbut Flip, as she was also the first gymnast to perform a backward somersault on the beam.

When Korbut attended the London Games this summer, she was asked about the Korbut Flip, to which she replied: "I was always creative. I [was] bored to do the same thing over and over again."