Melanie de Jesus dos Santos expresses dismay over post-Olympic support for French athletes — Kayla DiCello is ready for her comeback

French gymnast Melanie de Jesus dos Santos gave an interview to “On Refait le Sport,” a podcast on French radio station RTL. It’s in French, and I don’t speak French, so I’m relying on a translation service. 

The interview deals with de Jesus dos Santos’s disappointment after the Paris Olympics last year, and her struggles to regain confidence, both in herself and that of her national federation, which she alleges has all but abandoned her. 

Backstory: The French Olympic team of de Jesus dos Santos, Marine Boyer, Coline Devillard, Morgane Osyssek, and Ming Gherardi van Eijken was widely expected to medal in Paris after winning team bronze at 2023 worlds (where Lorette Charpy competed instead of Gherardi van Eijken). 

In the warm-up gym before qualifications, Boyer fell off the uneven bars and was seriously injured, which rocked the French team’s confidence. The quintet did not advance to the team final, and none of the gymnasts qualified for an event final. It was a shocking and abrupt exit for the gymnasts, and de Jesus dos Santos, as the team’s de facto leader, seemed to take it especially hard, saying to the press after that she felt she had “worked for nothing the past years.”

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De Jesus dos Santos, who grew up in Martinique and moved to France to train as an elite gymnast, trained in the U.S. at World Champions Centre, alongside Simone Biles and under coach and former French Olympian Cecile Landi, in the two years leading up to the Paris Games. 

In the interview, de Jesus dos Santos said that the FFG, the French gymnastics federation, offered no support to the gymnasts following the Olympics, and that she has told the FFG she will not return to domestic competition — although she aspires to return to gymnastics in some form.

She has not been able to balance school and gymnastics throughout her athletic career, so despite studying fashion for about 1.5 years, she has not completed a degree. Perhaps most heartbreakingly, she lost her sponsors after the Olympics and is living with her family because her job at a gym does not pay enough for her to be financially independent. Understandably, she is concerned about her future.

I hope that the French Olympic athletes understand that they have broad support among the gymnastics community, even if they are not receiving it from the federation (and not in ways that would help them find their footing post-gymnastics). What de Jesus dos Santos describes seems common among elite athletes as they end their athletic careers, but her feelings are certainly exacerbated by the sense that she failed not only herself but also her country. I’m glad she shared this because I hope she will see that she is not alone and will receive more immediate support and assistance for whatever is next for her. 

Other gym news

Check out College Gym News for their annual series of potential lineups for all your favorite NCAA teams.

The Gymternet has lists of all the 2025 national champions and of all the gymnasts turning senior for the 2026 season.

USA Gymnastics released new details about the revamped American Cup: 

Claire Pease announced her commitment to Utah. 

Kaylia Nemour released a book this week, titled “L’Ombre de L’Or,” or “The Color of Gold.” It’s only available in French right now, but here’s hoping it will receive the translation treatment! 

Nola Matthews shows off a tumbling pass at UCLA in advance of Meet the Bruins, which will be Dec. 13: 

Clemson’s Showcase was this week.

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Five at The IX: Kayla DiCello with Inside Gymnastics

Kayla DiCello is back! A torn Achilles took her out of the running for the Paris Olympics, for which she had deferred a year of college. Then she was in recovery during the 2025 college season. Now she’s making her return with the Florida Gators, and we are so here for it.