A “multimillion-pound investment in the integrity of British sport” has been launched after the British Gymnastics abuse scandal. The proposals, from funding bodies UK Sport and Sport England, include 19 commitments to create safer environments for participants, better coaching and workforce support at elite and grassroots level.
It follows last year’s Whyte Review into gymnastics, which painted a shocking and often sickening picture of the culture at all levels of the sport. Significant other welfare concerns have also been reported in numerous sports, including athletics, cycling and swimming.
“We have a responsibility to the gymnasts, parents, coaches and others to ensure their bravery in stepping forward and contributing to the Whyte Review doesn’t just lead to progress in their own sport, but has a lasting legacy across all of sport,” said Tim Hollingsworth, the chief executive of Sport England, and Sally Munday, UK Sport’s chief executive.
“Today is a positive step forward, but there is a huge amount of work still to be done to ensure all sport is consistently safe, welcoming and inclusive for all.”
The proposals also call for the establishment of regional support officers to promote good practice and safe sport on a local level, as well as strengthening checks on coaches. However, questions remain, including how all the commitments will be funded, with UK Athletics recently blaming part of its £1.8m loss year on spending £600,000 on safeguarding cases.
Hollingsworth predicted the initiative would ultimately ease the financial burden on individual sports. “If you look across the 19 commitments we’re generally looking at ways that this can support the sector rather than load individual organisations with more individual responsibilities,” he said.
Simon Morton, the chief operating officer of UK Sport, said the level of support would be significant. “I don’t think we’ve added up the total cost of the reforms in this package but it is a multimillion-pound investment into the integrity of British sport.”
