“It seemed like it should be.”
The Gymnastics Federation of Great Britain (British Gymnastics) will not take part in the investigation of numerous cases of violence and bullying by athletes by coaches. The case will be fully transferred to the UK Sport agency and the non-departmental government agency Sport England. According to the organization’s director general Jane Allen, this step will contribute to the unhindered clarification of all circumstances.
“It is imperative that the consideration of the case be unconditionally independent and include all sources for an effective solution to the problem raised by the gymnasts. Last week, the situation became more complicated, and in order to maintain the confidence of the gymnastic community, we decided to abandon any control over the investigation. Our goal is to learn from this situation and ensure the well-being of all members of the gymnastic community, ”Allen said in a statement.
UK Sport and Sport England supported the decision of the federation and expressed their readiness to conduct an independent investigation. They are currently developing a plan to support injured athletes. From July 20, a service will begin to operate for them, in which everyone can share their experience. Her work will be provided by the British Athletes Commission and the National Society for the Prevention of Violence against Children.
A loud scandal erupted in British sport ten days ago. ITV channel released a series of interviews titled “Beaten up and starved,” in which gymnasts spoke about the cruel attitude of the trainers. To raise this serious problem, the creators were prompted by the documentary “Athlete A”, which talks about the crimes of former US gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, which premiered in late June.
One of the first gymnasts who decided on public recognition, was the champion of the 1998 Commonwealth Games Lisa Mason. According to her, mentors resorted to cruel training methods, in particular, forced her to perform exercises until her hands began to bleed.
“Then my hands were lowered and watered with medical alcohol. An artificial lawn was placed under the bars so that I would burn my legs if I did not keep them on weight. But everyone else went through it, so it seemed that it should be so, ”Mason quotes The Guardian.
The athlete also urged colleagues around the world to follow her example and not remain silent about this problem.
“We need your support! The problem goes far beyond the scope of individual federations - it exists at the international level. The time has come to speak out to the rest of the world. In order to change something, we must be heard, ”Mason wrote on Twitter.
My fellow international gymnasts .... we need your voices !!
This is so much bigger than individual federations this is an international problem & it's time for the rest of the world to speak up.
In order for us to make a change we must be heard. We stand with U! #GymnastAlliance
Mason's statements provoked a wave of stories of gymnasts subjected to abuse during different years, many of whom were told anonymously. Bullying was not only physical, but also psychological in nature. Most often, insults concerned the presence of excess weight, which in fact was not.
Nicole Pavier admitted that at the age of 14 she developed bulimia against the background of constant threats and intimidation and even seven years after the end of her career, she continues to experience complexes about her appearance. Her coach, Claire Barbieri, could afford to discuss the weight of the wards in front of the whole group and write their indicators on the board.
“As an adult, you understand how much this affected you - eating disorders, chronic pain, nightmares every night and a complete lack of normal health,” Pavier told BBC.
It is worth noting that Barbieri herself said that she had never received official complaints in her entire coaching career. She assured that the team really has strict requirements for the weight of athletes, however, all experts are serious about nutrition problems.
Similar stories were shared by Francesca Fox, sisters Becky and Ellie Downey, Katherine Lyons and other leading gymnasts in the UK. The media managed to find out that some of them were locked in mentors by their mentors if they refused to do the exercises, were beaten, and were also forced to train despite injuries. It is noted that such techniques were widespread and were not limited to one sports club. Many of the victims are still experiencing psychological problems and are prone to anxiety and depression.
“The Federation is trying to solve everything quietly”
British Gymnastics sharply condemned any violent actions against athletes, as they contradict the safety principles of the training process. In addition, they called on everyone who had ever been the victim of ill-treatment to take part in the investigation, which the federation had originally planned to conduct.
The British Olympic Association also expressed their regrets. Mark England, who is responsible for preparing the national team for Tokyo 2020, emphasized that “there is no place for violence in sports”, and also assured that experts under suspicion will not be allowed to enter the Games.
At the same time, the gymnasts themselves blame the federation for what is happening. Mason urged Allen to resign, as she has been head of British Gymnastics for 10 years and the first talk of violence began to appear during her leadership. According to the ex-athlete, the organization intentionally covers trainers found to be unethical.
A similar position is held by the four-time Olympic medalist Louis Smith.
“Such public statements will look terrible. Therefore, the federation is trying to solve everything quietly. It is in their interest. I’m not saying that they ignore the problems, but if you can get rid of the case due to insufficient evidence, unfortunately, this is what they will do, ”Smith explained.
Their words were confirmed by the bronze medalist of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro Amy Tinkler. In January of this year, she announced her retirement, but only now it became known that she was forced to do this not by injuries, but by ill-treatment. The athlete reported that she filed a complaint with British Gymnastics in December last year, but there has still not been an answer.
Mason is confident that the public has yet to learn about many cases of abuse of gymnasts in the UK. She suggested that they happen with existing athletes who do not want to openly talk about the problem, so as not to lose their place in the national team before the Olympics in Tokyo.