AusLeisure

Gymnastics Australia has joined the national redress scheme set up in response to the Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, more than two years after it began the process.

The national sporting organisation is part of a group of six sporting bodies joining up to the scheme today, after years of uncertainty about whether it could meet the government’s requirements.

Advising that the move is a significant step forward for Australia’s gymnastics community,

Gymnastics Australia Chief Executive, Alexandra Ash stated “we recognise and commend the bravery shown by those who have come forward to share their story of mistreatment while involved in our sport.
In response, child sexual abuse survivor and former gymnast Alison Quigley said she was “cautiously thrilled” by the development, advising “I can’t speak for all survivors - for some this will be amazing news, for others it might be just a sense of relief, and for another cohort there will just be a sense of frustration it took so long.”

In comments provided to a parliamentary inquiry into the operation of the national redress scheme earlier this year, Ash said there had been “significant complexity” about sports joining the scheme, noting “these complexities include the financial position of organisations, federated models of sports, options of guarantors to financial arrangements, entity status, roles and responsibilities of entities and at the time of abuse.”

She also revealed the Australian Olympic Committee had been approached to fund Gymnastics Australia’s application of the scheme, but had declined.

Gymnastics Australia has not disclosed what has changed to allow it to join, including whether financial guarantees had been secured from any third parties.

A statement issued by the organisation said today’s news “follows two years of significant organisation reform”.

Gymnastics Australia is part of a group of six sporting organisations to join the scheme in the latest cohort. The others are Little Athletics Australia, Softball Australia, Swim Centres, Gymnastics Victoria, Campbelltown District Netball Association and Belnorth Football Club.

Under the scheme, survivors who have experienced child sexual abuse at participating organisations can receive a payment of up to $150,000, as well as access to counselling and psychological care and a direct personal response for historic child sexual abuse.

More than $1 billion has been paid to survivors since the scheme began in 2020.

Overall, there are almost 500 non-government organisations now participating in the scheme.

Related Articles

19th July 2023 - Gymnastics Clubs Australia’s 2023 Congress to welcome record attendance

7th June 2023 - Gymnastics Australia appoints former world champion as Performance Wellbeing Manager

30th May 2023 - BK’s Gymnastics to introduce ‘Strong Seniors’ program across Australia

12th May 2023 - Australian gymnastics identities get international recognition

11th April 2023 - Members report benefits as Recreational Gymnastics Australia grows

30th March 2023 - New course set to revitalise gymnastics coaching

4th November 2022 - Gold Coast secures Australian Gymnastics Championships for another two years

16th September 2022 - Cairns Regional Council to provide $900,000 for gymnasium extension

28th June 2022 - Gymnastics Australia advocates for every body with launch of Body Care

23rd June 2022 - Western Australian Government apologises to gymnasts as child safeguarding unit established

16th June 2022 - National Sports Tribunal executive Kitty Chiller sanctioned by international gymnastics body

5th May 2022 - Gymnastics Australia appoints new Chief Executive

6th April 2022 - Gymnastics Australia implements Integrity Framework to ensure future protections within the sport

21st February 2022 - Gymnastics Australia partners with EngageRM to deliver data insights

14th February 2022 - Review of gymnastics at the Western Australian Institute of Sport recommends apology to abused athletes

12th August 2021 - Guidelines released to enhance gymnastics facility development across Australia

1st September 2021 - Sexual abuse victims urge Canberra’s Forrest Tennis Club to sign up to National Redress Scheme

19th October 2020 - Basketball Australia advises of intention to join redress scheme

18th June 2020 - Netball Australia to join National Redress Scheme

18th February 2020 - Australian Olympic Committee Chief Executive warns sport bodies may struggle with national redress scheme claims

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.