Calls for independent investigation into abuse in New Zealand gymnastics
Sunday, 2 August 2020
Several parents and coaches involved with gymnastics say they spoke up about an abusive culture in the sport but their concerns were not taken seriously by clubs or Gymnastics New Zealand.
They are asking for an independent inquiry into abusive practices in gymnastics.
The parents have spoken to Stuff after the launch on Saturday of an investigation into abuse of elite level athletes by coaches and judges.
The athletes allege an “insidious” normalised culture of emotional manipulation, fat-shaming and athletes being forced to compete on serious injuries.
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Stuff has been inundated with messages and emails from athletes, coaches and parents sharing their negative experiences in the sport since the investigation was launched on Saturday.
Parents of several gymnasts said they raised complaints with both clubs and Gymnastics New Zealand chief executive Tony Compier. Stuff has been sent several past complaints outlining abusive behaviour by club and national level coaches across New Zealand.
The complaints allege verbal abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, intimidation by coaches and withholding of opportunities for and isolation of athletes.
Parent One, who was also a coach and wishes to remain anonymous, said her daughter’s abuse started early on in the club environment with “snide” comments from a coach.
“It was just awful,” she said.
”You've got a coach in a young child's face, telling them that they’re not good enough, and they need to get their act together.”
She says she complained to the CEO of the club at the time and was eventually given a written apology on “scrap paper”.
Her daughter remained in the sport, attending top events. She claimed both her and her daughter experienced verbal abuse by a national coach.
At one national event she said the national coach screamed at her across the floor. She said this happened in front of all of the athletes, including her daughter.
“He walked up to me and just basically was like, ‘Oh well, I'm just doing my job. I'm the national coach’,” she said.
“[I said] ‘I really don't care what you are. There's no need to speak to me like that.’
“One of the senior staff members from Gymnastics New Zealand came up to me and told me I needed to make up with him.”
She laid a complaint with the club, which has been seen by Stuff, and said she also spoke to Compier about the abusive culture.
“There were a number of incidents where [the coach’s] behaviour and his attitude towards the kids … was wrong. And I spoke to people at GNZ in regards to this,” she said.
“But it's the same result every time. Nobody listens.”
She claimed it’s not just athletes that are receiving abuse. It’s other coaches and staff, too.
“It’s intimidation and bullying and it’s horrific,” she said.
“[The club] is one of the worst clubs I've been involved in for psychological and mental abuse.”
She said she doesn't trust GNZ to undertake a full investigation into the alleged abuse, but she said she would come forward as part of the national body’s investigation into the claims published by Stuff.
“I don't believe they're going to do anything,” she said.
“[GNZ] want people to come forward, that's fine. I'll bring … athletes forward. The … athletes I told [GNZ] about that were being bullied by a coach, that [GNZ] did nothing about.
“I just want to see an independent review.”
Compier said he was not aware of the culture associated with the sport before Stuff’s investigation was launched.
But he said he has received previous complaints, which he said were investigated.
“There were outcomes to those investigations, and they are confidential to the parties that were involved in it,” he said.
“If someone brings a complaint to GNZ we investigate it.”
Parent Two, who also wished to remain anonymous, said an investigation was undertaken into their complaint about the treatment of their daughter by the club’s head coach.
They said the complaint was made to the club and Compier. Stuff has seen the complaint and correspondence between Compier and Parent Two.
Parent Two said “due process” was undertaken regarding their complaint, but claimed the investigation was “farcical”.
“I think everyone looked after their own best interests and looked after themselves. The root of the problem was never sorted,” he said.
“… Everyone protects each other.”
Parent Two said they took the complaint to Compier because they wanted change for “the next group of kids that were coming through”.
“I thought they would have a say and do something about it and reprimand [the coach] or say ‘it’s not good enough’ or give [the coach] the tools to be a better person,” they said.
“But nothing’s come of it. To me they’ve wiped it under the table.”
Parent Two said they warned GNZ about the culture in gymnastics being exposed.
“I said [to Compier] ‘this is the tip of the iceberg’,” the parent said.
“I told him … I wanted him to make change. Gymnastics is a great sport for kids and I’d love [Tony] to make change.”
Parent Two is also calling for an independent investigation, separate from the one currently being undertaken by GNZ.
“That person can not have anything to do with GNZ or any of the gyms, or have any knowledge of gymnastics,” they said.
“It’s got to be someone totally independent because the people we were involved with weren’t.
“It needs to change for the benefit of the sport.”
Following Stuff’s investigation, GNZ has launched a “mechanism” for those who have experienced abuse to speak up.
Compier said “several” people, mostly athletes, have come forward to GNZ to share their experiences in recent days.
He wouldn’t give specifics regarding the complaints he’s received but said he is “concerned”.
He’s urging others to speak up so the organisation can “provide support” and to “determine what the next course of action … is appropriate”.
“We’re in the first stages of this. There’s a combination of what we believe we’d like to do versus what the people bringing forward the issues to us would like to happen, so we are open-minded,” he said.
He, and a team of “two or three” from GNZ is overseeing the complaints process, he said.
“It’s not solely down to me … [it] will not begin or end with my actions, it’s wider than that,” he said.
“… people should have confidence that we will get to the bottom of the matters that have been raised with us.”
He said GNZ is also working with Sport New Zealand on the complaints.