The Whyte Review – An Investigation of Allegations of Mistreatment in Gymnastics – Update

Whyte Review Abuse Gymnastics

The Whyte Report is an independent review into allegations that British Gymnastics have failed to deal appropriately with complaints.

They have just published their interim report, which you can read here.

The Review received information from nearly 400 individuals during the Call for Evidence. They also received 272 submissions directly, with over 100 of these on the final day of the Call for Evidence. In addition, the British Athletes Commission received 118 separate submissions through a joint hotline they set up with the NSPCC.

The submissions cover a host of concerns ranging from bullying and belittling to extreme weight management and  excessive physical force. Submissions also talked about a reluctance to raise complaints, and a lack of opportunity to do so.

Such concerns underline the need for organisations to embed the safeguarding of children and adults. We need to create cultures where poor practice and abuse are not tolerated and where we can deal with incidents swiftly.

At the heart of any organisation must be the voice of participants. We must encourage participants to talk about their experiences, and we must commit to listening and acting upon any issues.

Head here to read the interim report in full.