Many children in the UK attend gymnastics clubs and have a happy and enjoyable experience. However, this is not the case for every child.
Anyone who watched ITV’s documentary ‘Gymnastics – A culture of abuse?’ on 22 February 2024 will have been shocked to discover the level of abuse that some children have suffered at the hands of British Gymnastic coaches in a position of trust.
The Whyte Review published in June 2022 followed disclosures made to the press in the summer of 2020, by several current and former British gymnasts about alleged emotional, physical, and sexual abuse within the sport.
The review concluded that gymnast well-being and welfare had not been at the centre of British Gymnastics’s culture and that the management of safeguarding concerns and complaints by British Gymnastics and its clubs had not been consistently appropriate or rigorous.
ITV’s documentary highlighted that this culture and the safeguarding failures of British Gymnastics led to coaches including Stuart Woods and David Schadek being able to continue sexually abusing young children in their charge for many years.
Allegations of sexual abuse have also been made by former gymnasts against Stan Wild, a former Olympian and coach who has since been suspended and expelled by British Gymnastics although no criminal prosecution has ever been brought against him.
They continue their fight for justice.
How can Nelsons help
Dianne Collins is a Senior Associate in our expert Personal Injury team, which has been ranked in Tier One by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500, and Commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2024. Dianne specialises in accident claims, including child abuse claims, criminal injury compensation claims and public liability claims.
For more information on the subject above, please contact Dianne or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online enquiry form.
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