Video report by ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott Former Olympic gymnast Louis Smith has spoken out about a “culture of fear” within British Gymnastics amid a storm of abuse allegations in the sport. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-07-08/olympian-louis-smith-condemns-culture-of-fear-in-british-gymnastics-following-abuse-allegations
Month: July 2020
British Gymnastics crisis deepens with call for chief executive to quit
Lisa Mason says CEO Jane Allen should take responsibilityLouis Smith accuses governing body of ‘scared to taint its image’ https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jul/08/british-gymnastics-crisis-deepens-with-call-for-chief-executive-to-quit
British Gymnastics admits ‘error’ for not telling girl’s parents about abuse claims
Catherine Lyons, who is now retired from the sport, claims she was beaten with a stick on one occasion. https://news.sky.com/story/british-gymnastics-admits-error-for-not-telling-girls-parents-about-abuse-claims-12023055
British Gymnastics to investigate alleged abuse of elite athletes
Independent inquiry to examine ‘shocking’ claims of physical and emotional abuse https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jul/07/uk-sport-to-investigate-shocking-and-upsetting-claims-of-gymnastics-abuse
‘I was terrified to put on weight’ – the ‘culture of fear’ in British gymnastics
Nicole Pavier says an eating disorder still “plagues” her life. A former England gymnast, she says she was weighed every day during her career. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/53290256
‘Beaten and starved’: Stars allege abuse at heart of British Gymnastics
Catherine Lyons is 19 years old now and is recalling her stunning gymnastics career. But she’s not smiling, that’s because, despite being a world class athlete; a junior European and British champion, the memories hurt deeply. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-07-06/beaten-and-starved-stars-allege-abuse-at-heart-of-british-gymnastics
Girl, 8, describes bullying by gymnastics coaches as review is pledged
Video report by ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott ITV News has uncovered further allegations of bullying, and physical and emotional abuse within gymnastics. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-07-07/girl-8-describes-bullying-by-gymnastics-coaches-as-review-is-pledged