The Thomas Salto was named after American gymnast Kurt Thomas. The skill is notably dangerous since its roll out characteristic requires exact precision on landing. A mistake can involve a neck injury resulting in paralysis.
In 1980, days before the Moscow Olympics started, Yelena Mukhina was training the skill, she landed it on her chin and was left quadriplegic at the age of 20. Despite this, the skill was not banned and gymnasts continued to train it.
The most famous gymnast ever to compete the Thomas Salto was Yelena Shushunova who presented the skill over and over again during her career between 1984 and 1988.
Tatiana Ignatova from the Soviet Union competed it at the 1992 Champions All competition however she did not keep the skill for long at the 1992 Europeans she no longer had the Thomas Salto in her Floor routine.
China’s He Xuemei was likely the last ever gymnast to compete the skill. She did it at the Barcelona Olympics. Shortly after the Thomas Salto was finally banned for women however it is still allowed for the men despite repeated petitions of banning for them too.
Not only the Thomas Salto but all roll out skills are banned for women, in fact, the rules now specificy that all tumbling passes must be landed feet first. Examples of other gymnasts that competed risky, now banned, tumbling passes include Olga Korbut in 1972 & Yelena Davydova in 1980 & Olga Strazheva in 1988 & Baerbel Wielgoss in 1989
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