Prioritising People over Podiums

This week, Gymnasts for Change International met with British Gymnastics’ Geraldine Costello (Director for Welfare & Safe Sport) and David Hart (Performance Director) to discuss the decision to pause the World Class Trampoline Programme and what this means for athletes on the pathway.

BG were open that this is a very complex and difficult situation. The decision to pause was made on welfare grounds, with multiple factors resulting in there not being enough suitably experienced high-performance trampoline coaches available to ensure both the physical and psychological safety of gymnasts ahead of the European Championships.

We know this will have a real impact on athletes, and that uncertainty is incredibly hard. This was a central part of our discussion with British Gymnastics. We discussed the support currently in place for athletes and the steps BG is taking to prevent this situation from arising again.

BG outlined the support in place, and confirmed that additional support is available to athletes. As a community, G4CI also made clear that we are here to offer support — both psychologically and through our network — to any gymnast who may need it.

BG also shared next steps, which include an independent review to fully understand what has led to this point and to shape recommendations for the future. There are also plans to strengthen performance coach development to reduce the risk of this happening again.

One of the most important moments in the conversation was the explicit recognition of the role our community has played in making a decision like this possible.

BG acknowledged that the work of Gymnasts For Change International and the community of gymnasts who spoke out about abuse, has helped shift expectations across the sport. Those we spoke to felt there is now greater space to prioritise athlete welfare above medals when needed.

This shows that the collective voice of this community is having a real impact — not just in raising concerns, but in changing how decisions are made at the highest levels of the sport.

That said, this situation is not resolved. There is still a significant amount of work to be done, and we will continue to stay close to this.

If you are directly affected by the pause, please do reach out. We are here to listen and support you.

— Fiona McGettrick, UK Campaign Group Coordinator