Safe Sport | New policies to better protect gymnasts
The first of a series of new safe sport policies to help better protect gymnasts have been introduced, covering hydration, weighing gymnasts and academic education.
- Prioritise care of participants as a person first, and a gymnast second
- Policies have been shaped by experience and expertise of gymnasts, coaches, clubs and parents as well as experts and organisations beyond gymnastics
- Clubs will be supported to implement the policies over the coming weeks
- Supports the new #BeTheChange campaign and designed so that people of any age or experience can understand what is ok and what is not ok
As a foundation sport we are all responsible for ensuring the welfare of children and young people is protected above all else. A positive first experience of physical activity can lead on to a happy, healthy, and active life. These new polices are therefore rooted in the care of participants as a person first, and a gymnast second.
Speaking about the new policies, Sarah Powell, CEO at British Gymnastics said: “Above all else, we care about gymnasts as people, and these new policies make clear that what matters most in gymnastics is the welfare of those involved. While practices have moved on a long way, we know there has been poor practice in these areas and so by providing clarity for gymnasts, parents and carers, coaches, clubs, volunteers and officials through the statements set out in these policies it will ensure everyone understands what is OK and what is not OK and help prevent that happening in the future.
“Thank you to everyone from within and beyond the sport who has contributed to the development of these policies and the ones that will follow. We still have much more to do on our reform journey, but the implementation of these policies forms a significant and positive step forward for gymnastics.”
The policies for hydration and weighing gymnasts further build on and strengthen initial position statements released last year, while the academic education policy has been introduced with British Gymnastics making clear it does not believe that a child missing regular formal education for gymnastics club training is necessary in the pursuit of achieving their gymnastics ambitions.
Some of the rules under the new policies include:
Hydration: gymnasts must be provided with opportunities to drink regularly throughout a gymnastics session or activity, with gymnasts encouraged to consume fluids as they feel comfortable to. If a gymnast requires the toilet during a gymnastics session or activity, they must be able to go at the earliest available opportunity.
Weighing Gymnasts: weighing of gymnasts must always be their choice and must only be undertaken by qualified sport science or medical practitioners with the gymnast’s optimal long-term development in mind, and with clear, scientifically valid rationale. Only gymnasts over 10 can be weighed in a gymnastics setting, and weight data must always be combined with another measure. Coaches must not weigh gymnasts.
Academic Education: gymnastics clubs and coaches must ensure that the missing of formal education for gymnastics club training must not be a mandatory requirement for any child. Gymnastics club training must not be scheduled during formal education time (i.e., school hours) for children under the age of 12. Children aged over 12 must only miss formal education time (i.e., school hours) for gymnastics club training under exceptional circumstances and on the condition that the child’s academic education is not compromised.
The full detail for each policy can be viewed in the gymnastics policies on the Scottish Gymnastics website.
These three policies are the first of a series that we will introduce over the next year focussing on protecting the welfare of gymnasts. Work is in development to cover areas including flexibility, pain and injury, and training load.
The new policies have been released as part of the #BeTheChange campaign, launched earlier this month and created to help keep gymnastics safe and fair for all. The policies apply to all gymnastics activity delivered at registered clubs and environments and come into effect across the UK. They have been jointly introduced by British Gymnastics, English Gymnastics, Gymnastics Northern Ireland, Scottish Gymnastics and Welsh Gymnastics.
Development of the new policies over the last 18 months has been shaped by extensive consultation with gymnasts, coaches, clubs and parents as well as experts and organisations beyond gymnastics, listening to and learning from their experience and expertise. As a result, each policy has had input from between 70-100 different members of the gymnastics community.
In a marked change from the past, the new policies have been designed so that they are clear, engaging and supportive for everyone involved in the sport. They are accompanied by easy-to-read guides for deliverers, parents and carers, and gymnasts, as well as posters and animated explainer videos voiced by junior gymnasts to bring the key areas of policy to life so that people of any age or experience can understand what is ok and what is not ok.
The policies will also have support and guidance available to help clubs and deliverers implement them, with webcasts arranged to answer questions and queries and in person events being staged in the new year to provide further support and enable clubs to transition as soon as possible to align with the policies.
Click below to find out more about the safe and fair sport campaign or for more information and support.
Want to learn more?
British Gymnastics is hosting a series of webcasts to help support those who deliver our sport understand the new policies and provide guidance on how to implement them. You will have the chance to ask questions during a live Q+A with the speakers.
Please use the links below to book your place:
Weighing Gymnasts – Monday 4 December 2023, 11am
Hydration – Tuesday 5 December 2023, 2pm
Academic Education – Wednesday 6 December 2023, 11am
More advice and support: face-to-face sessions will be held across the UK in early 2024. We’ll share the booking information including locations and dates soon.