Information: Independent Cultural Review of Gymnastics in Australia 2020

It was announced on 30 July 2020 that Gymnastics Australia has engaged the Australian Human Rights Commission to conduct an independent cultural review of the sport of gymnastics in Australia.

  • This Review will be undertaken by a dedicated team of Commission staff with relevant expertise in conducting cultural reviews, led by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner with input from the National Children’s Commissioner.
  • The Commission has significant expertise in responding appropriately and sensitively to a range of issues such as sexual assault, sexual harassment and abuse in a trauma informed manner.
  • The Commission’s independence as a Commonwealth statutory authority ensures the integrity of the Review and provides participants with confidence in the process.
  • The Terms of Reference for the Review will be co-designed with Gymnastics Australia.
  • Reviews of this nature by the Commission aim to gain a deep understanding of a sport’s culture and practice, and provide key stakeholders, past and present, with the opportunity to have their experiences of the organisational culture heard, acknowledged, recorded and used to inform better future practice to ensure safety and inclusivity.
  • The Review will be underpinned by the following principles: ​​​​​
  1. Comprehensive – the Commission will provide a range of avenues for people wishing to participate in the Review. This includes focus groups, interviews and written submissions through our website.
  2. Consultative – members of the gymnastics community including athletes, parents, coaches, staff and other relevant personnel are invited to engage with, and provide input into the Review.
  3. Inclusive – the Commission understands that the gymnastics community is diverse and will seek to hear as many experiences as it can.
  4. Voluntary – all participation in the Review by the gymnastics community will be on a voluntary basis.
  5. Confidential – information gathered through the course of the Review will be used in a de-identified manner and confidentiality strictly maintained.
  6. Ethical and safe – before the Commission can begin the consultation process, due to the sensitive nature of the Review, an independent ethics process will be undertaken to ensure appropriate protections for participants are in place.
  • The Review is currently being established and will begin in the coming weeks.
  • The Commission will publish a report on its findings and recommendations in the first quarter of 2021. This report will be made public.
  • Recommendations by the Commission in its final report will be made on actions to improve safety and wellbeing outcomes for all athletes.
  • The scope of this Review does not extend to the investigation of individual allegations nor findings being made against specific individuals. The Review will encourage everyone to share their experiences, and these will form an important part of the report.
/Public Release. View in full here.