Gymnastics Australia issues statement in response to reports on National Centre of Excellence

Following a media report today that alleged child gymnasts suffered cruel 'punishments' at the sport’s National Centre of Excellence in Melbourne, Gymnastics Australia (GA) has issued a press statement emphasising that it “takes matters of child safety extremely seriously, and continues to work in close collaboration with all state and territory associations and clubs, to ensure all participants are provided with a safe environment in which to train and compete.”

The statement continues “in response to this morning’s news article, while the contents of the independent investigation are bound by confidentiality to all parties involved, GA must provide context and correct some inaccuracies.

“In relation to the comments made by one of GA’s former board members, who is no longer involved in the administration of the sport, the article did not disclose that the individual has an ongoing personal material association with the National Centre of Excellence (NCE).

“GA enjoys strong support among the current parent group of the NCE, and is working closely with them to transition to a new parent-led club following the scheduled closure of the GA NCE program at the end of 2018.”

In support of Gymnastics Australia’s position, the NCE parent group has released a statement supporting the independent investigation and the assistance provided by Gymnastics Australia.

The Australian Childhood Foundation and leading child safe advocacy group and GA Partner Bravehearts have also released statements today acknowledging Gymnastics Australia’s ongoing efforts to implement best practice policies and procedures, strengthen the organisational approach to child safety and make the sport as safe as possible for all gymnasts.

The three statements can be read below.

Gymnastics Australia’s statement concluded that the organisation “will continue to work with its state and territory bodies and every club nationally to ensure the best possible conditions for all gymnasts in every gym around the country.”

Statement by the parents of NCE Melbourne
"As the current parent group we would like to respond to the story in the media this morning in regard to the GA investigation into the culture and administration of the National Centre of Excellence Melbourne. This investigation by the journalist and resulting story was a surprise to the many of us when we were informed about it yesterday.

"The Gymnastics Australia investigation was initially instigated by some concerned parents of athletes based at the National Centre of Excellence Melbourne. The complaints were investigated and completed to the satisfaction of a vast majority of families remaining at NCE Melbourne with the understanding specific details of the results released to the parents were limited due to privacy reasons.

"NCE Melbourne is a safe and happy environment for the girls to train.

"We acknowledge there were a variety of other issues that emerged around this time with the abruptness of a previous attempt to close the NCE Melbourne program, however we have seen positive steps towards establishing a supportive and open training environment and culture. Kitty Chiller, the CEO of Gymnastics Australia, has been a strong advocate for our girls and her support has been pivotal in supporting them to find a new home and ultimately the establishment of a new club. Kitty has attended many meetings with parent representatives and has been readily available for conversations and advice. Gymnastics Australia have pledged to support the new club operationally and financially over the next 2 years as it becomes established.

"With the support of Gymnastics Victoria including CEO Jamie Parsons, the new club will utilise the State Gymnastics Centre in Prahran. This training facility will provide a vital training environment for the athletes, who represent some of Victoria’s and Australia’s most accomplished and promising young gymnasts in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and beyond.

"We would like to emphasise that Gymnastics Australia and Gymnastics Victoria, working with a dedicated team of parents, have supported the creation of this pathway. Without the support of these governing bodies many of our daughters who have spent up to 7 hours a day, or over 32 hours per week, preparing for successful careers representing Victoria and Australia in gymnastics, would have nowhere to train next year. 

"The gymnasts and their families look forward to working with Gymnastics Australia, namely Kitty Chiller, and Jamie Parsons from Gymnastics Victoria, during this exciting next stage of our daughters’ gymnastics journeys where they can focus on their gymnastics in a safe and supportive environment."

NCE Melbourne Parent Body - statement been endorsed by the 'overwhelming majority' of the current NCE families. The views expressed in the statement represent the overwhelming majority of the current NCE Melbourne parents.

Statement by Australian Childhood Foundation
"The Australian Childhood Foundation and Sport Australia have been working in partnership with Gymnastics Australia to strengthen the organisational approach to child safety. This work reflects the commitment from the three organisations to help keep children and young people in gymnastics safe from the harm caused by abuse.

"This work has included two key activities: strengthening child safe policies and procedures and providing additional child safe training for Gymnastics Australia staff. The aim of this work is for Gymnastics Australia to achieve Safeguarding Children Certification. Certification means that Gymnastics Australia’s child safe policies and procedures will meet best practice international standards, including compliance with the Child Safe Standards set out by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

"Certification of Gymnastics Australia as part of this process provides a strong foundation for the ongoing safety of children and young people in gymnastics and provides the tools to help ensure that there is a child safe culture in the organisation."

Statement by Bravehearts
"Gymnastics Australia is working with Bravehearts to implement a comprehensive suite of education services tailored specifically to the gymnastics environment. This series of online courses, workshops and information guides is a first of its kind for a sporting association at this scale in this country. Every coach, judge, administrator and importantly, young person and their parents will receive vital information about making gymnastics a child-safe sport.

"The findings of the Royal Commission have highlighted the need for organisations like large sporting associations to raise the bar and set higher expectations for the standard of care provided to the children they engage.

"Any adult working with children has a significant duty of care to protect children from harm. Gymnastics Australia has made a commitment to ensure all adults and young people participating in Gymnastics in Australia are aware of this duty of care, understand how to identify early signs of harm and how to respond appropriately and swiftly should harm have occurred.

"From next month, every gymnastics coach and judge will be required to undergo mandatory child safety training and club administrators will undergo specialised training about how to prevent abuse occurring in their facilities. This is an integral element of the commitment to creating child safe environments across the hundreds of gymnastics clubs in Australia. Parents will also be provided valuable information about keeping their kids safe at home, school the gym and online.”

Bravehearts founder and Chair, Hetty Johnston concluded "Gymnastics Australia have become one of Australia's first national sporting bodies to implement the steps to deliver the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. 

“In doing so, Gymnastics Australia leads the nation in implementing and driving the change."

Images used for illustrative purposes only.