WA Institute of Sport hit by mass board resignations

The ongoing impact of the 2022 Sport Integrity Australia report which found that the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) allowed women in its gymnastics program to be abused over three decades, has resulted in mass resignations of members of its board.

As reported by The West Australian, six members of the WAIS’ 10-person board, including recently appointed Chair Priya Cooper, have resigned.

Cooper, a gold-medal winning Paralympian, was only appointed WAIS Chair a year ago in the wake of the gymnastics scandal along with three other new board members.

Two of those - project manager Rishelle Hume and tertiary educator Robert Grove - have now also left along with Amanda Cox, Leigh Robinson and Deputy Chair Matt Beevers, who was the longest-standing board member, having joined in 2015.

It leaves behind a four-person board comprising Fiona Pixley, Josie Janz-Dawson, Stuart Reside and Jennifer McGrath. However, with no quorum, the WAIS cannot now conduct valid business.

In an internal document seen by The West Australian, WAIS Chief Executive, Steven Lawrence advised “over the past few weeks, a total of six board members have ended their period of service to WAIS.

“The board have to deal with a range of complex governance issues as a matter of routine and their role is crucial to the overall leadership of WAIS.

“However, it is a largely thankless task without financial compensation and done for the love of sport.

“We can be thankful that we have been consistently governed by a highly credentialled and passionate board.

“The Minister appoints board members and his office is currently in the process of appointing new members.”

Western Australian Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman has previously promised the board would be able to deliver on the restorative justice process pledged to women who suffered abuse taking part in the Institute’s gymnastics program between 1987 and 2016.

Providing an update on the Western Australian Government’s review into the culture and governance of WAIS, after announcing in February an open tender process to appoint an independent consultant, a spokesperson for Minister Templeman told The West Australian “the Minister has met with the gymnasts and separately with the Board to reaffirm his commitment to the restorative justice process following his apology in State Parliament.

“Since that apology, the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) established a Child Safeguarding Unit within the Department and has engaged the Office of the Commissioner for the Victims of Crime to assist with the process.

“The DLGSC has also been tasked with undertaking a comprehensive governance and culture review of WAIS, which has been advertised for tender.

“The Minister understands the delays have been frustrating and has been advised that the contract will be awarded in coming weeks.”

The 2022 independent review by Sport Integrity Australia investigating the culture of WAIS’ artistic gymnastics program between 1987 and 2016 revealed systematic physical and emotional abuse of young athletes by coaches and staff when training in the WAIS’ Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) program.

The report was commissioned by WAIS and the Gymnast Alliance Australia (GAA) as a result of historic allegations.

The gymnastics program was shut down at the end of 2016.

Image credit: WAIS.