The banned Dead Loop performed by Olga Korbut at the nineteen seventy two Olympics remains one of the most striking moments in gymnastics history. Korbut executed the move on the uneven bars by releasing her grip, flipping backward under the lower bar, and then catching the bar again. The maneuver stunned judges and audiences because it carried an extreme level of danger and demanded a mix of courage, precision, and body control that had never been seen in the sport.

It was also the first and last time the element was performed in international competition. Soon after the Games, the move was prohibited because the risk of severe injury was considered far too high for gymnasts attempting it. Although it can no longer appear in official routines, the Dead Loop lives on as a symbol of Korbut’s daring style and the way she helped reshape gymnastics into a sport defined by both artistic expression and extraordinary physical difficulty.