The News Agents Weekend Edition: Has British Gymnastics cleaned up its act? - The Sports Agents
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Oct 17, 2025 Joseph Carr, a Senior Associate in the abuse team at Bolt Burdon Kemp, discusses the aftermath of the 2022 Whyte Review on British Gymnastics. He outlines various forms of abuse gymnasts have endured and traces the roots of harmful practices linked to the pressure for elite success. While some reforms have been initiated, Joseph highlights ongoing issues with complaints processes and the lack of clear guidance in safeguarding. He emphasizes the need for accountability and the importance of building trust within the sport.
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Scope Of Abuse Revealed
- British gymnastics suffered wide-ranging abuses including sexual abuse, weight shaming, training on injuries, physical and racial abuse across decades.
- Many victims only felt able to disclose after Athlete A and the 2020 outpouring exposed long-hidden problems.
Success Brought Harmful Pressure
- Gabby recalled how success after 2008 and Lottery funding increased professionalism and pressure to produce results.
- That pressure helped import brutal training cultures from Eastern Europe into UK gymnastics.
Reforms Exist But Trust Lags
- British Gymnastics has introduced new policies, leadership and independent complaints processes after the Whyte Review.
- However those independent complaint systems became bureaucratic and lost trust, leaving many cases unresolved years later.