A long overdue reckoning, but survivors are still being failed.

“Safeguarding systems must not rely on children to detect harm. The current model is not just ineffective - it is ethically indefensible,” said Claire Heafford, CEO of G4CI.

Today marks the release of the ‘Safe Sport Project Report’, a significant moment for safeguarding in sport in the UK. It is the first document of its kind in the UK to call for structural safeguarding reform at a cross-sector level. You can read our full reposes to the report in this blog post.

Claire Heafford, CEO of Gymnasts for Change International, and former elite gymnast, responds to the publication of Sarah Powell and Andy Salmon’s ‘Safe Sport Report’ published 24th June 2024.

Gymnasts For Change (G4C) welcomes the decision of the Independent Complaints Process (ICP) Appeal Panel, that a case of abuse involving a G4C member can now be heard.

Klaudia Wittmann, former German Rhythmic Gymnast and member of the G4C International Working Group, explores the way in which National Governing Bodies repeatedly miss golden opportunities to set a new, human rights based standard for coaching in Gymnastics.

The Reform 25 initiative, held up by British Gymnastics as the beacon of hope after the damning Whyte Review, now stands at a crossroads. Is it a mere tick-box exercise, a perfunctory nod to accountability?

In women’s gymnastics, silence is seen as one of the greatest assets. From a young age, the gymnast learns not to argue with the coach, not to share (or even have) an opinion, and to take what her coach says as the truth.

“...what was the point of so many coming forward and bravely telling their stories? @BritGymnastics, it’s time to sort out your complaints process. It is not working for anyone.”

An anonymous G4C member writes about how her experience of gymnastics was accompanied by an eating disorder that it took her 25 years to recover from. This piece talks openly about the brutality of gymnastics, and how she found a better life - free from aesthetic judgements - later in life.

An anonymous G4C member responds to the release of BG’s Reform ‘25 and their promise to publish a register of banned coaches with “zero tolerance of abuse”.

Our latest post is an anonymous account of a former elite-level child gymnast who was made to attend boarding school aged 10 to continue her training. This brave account shares the impacts and lasting trauma that the arrangement had, and the questions she has for British Gymnastics about the practice.

Dr Sophie Vivian writes about the making of elite gymnasts - a process littered with abuse, psychological trauma and power imbalances.

The pressure placed on funded athletes to perform at major championships can be extreme. What Simone Biles’ decision not to compete in the all-around competition at Tokyo shows us is that gymnastics is different.

With the issue of competition uniform high on the radar following Sarah Voss’ strong stand at the European Championships, Bunny Ladd reflects on her experiences with sexualisation and body image growing up in the sport.

The spotlight has firmly been on gymnastics in Australia following the Australian Human Rights Commission’s independent investigation into the systemic cultural issues in the sport. Alison Quigley, a former gymnast and advocate for change, outlines how Australia got to where it is today and takes us through some of the recommendations from the Change the Routine report.

During Mental Health Awareness Week, former England gymnast and campaigner Nicole Pavier shares how her time as an elite gymnast has impacted her mental health.

Canadian gymnast Amelia Clein shares her experiences of abuse and bullying when training as a child.

Dr. Rachel Furley gives her views on how best to safeguard children and young people participating in gymnastics and what parents and carers should look out for.

Hannah Whelan OLY writes about her reasons for joining the group legal action against British Gymnastics and her personal coaching journey.