Women and Girls | Scottish Gymnastics Joins Global Movement
Scottish Gymnastics has joined a global movement to make sport more inclusive for women and girls everywhere.
Chief executive officer Doc McKelvey joined representatives from gymnastics governing bodies to sign the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration. Scottish Gymnastics joins more than 600 organisations worldwide who are backing the movement.
British Gymnastics CEO Sarah Powell Paul Lipton (English Gymnastics), Robyn Hastings (Gymnastics Northern Ireland), Siwan Mair (Welsh Gymnastics) also signed the declaration at the Artistic Gymnastics British Championships on Saturday. The World Gymnastics president, Morinari Watanabe, joined them to reaffirm the governing body’s commitment and encourage more gymnastics national federations to join the movement.
Our vision
The five UK governing bodies share the same gymnastics vision and values. This is further commitment to ensuring women and girls can freely and safely participate, compete, and build careers in the sport.
Scottish Gymnastics Chief Executive Officer Doc McKelvey said:
“Gymnastics is a sport for all, but is especially popular amongst women and girls. More than 85% of our members are female, so we aim to provide support and opportunities at all levels of the sport. We wanted to formally commit to this by signing the declaration.
“We know gymnastics is a foundation sport, and as such, it is often a child’s first experience of organised sport and physical activity. Research also shows that sport helps strengthen young people’s sense of identity, purpose and well-being.
“It is therefore important they enjoy their experience and want to be involved throughout their life in whatever role suits them. That is why we offer support, resources and opportunities beyond being responsible for governance and development gymnastics in Scotland.
Action
“We are committed to developing coaches, judges, athletes and leaders. We provide young leadership, club culture development and female athlete health support across the sport. This includes recent workshops through our partnership with WUKA, provider of period and incontinence pants.
“We also introduced our leotard partner Quatro to WUKA. Since then, they have incorporated technology in body suits and leotards. This gives female gymnasts the choice of appropriate protective products for gymnastics.
“We are proud to be part of this global network to support women and girls in sport. This compliments our commitment to the Moving To Inclusion Framework through sportscotland.”
Doc was also involved in a panel discussion around British Gymnastics’ ‘She Leaps’ initiative to build female empowerment in and through gymnastics. He joined BG chief executive Sarah Powell, Annamarie Phelps CBE (chair of the IWG UK Secretariat, vice-chair of the British Olympic Association), Eirni Aindili (World Gymnastics), and Sarah Massey MBE (BOA director of sport).
The Declaration
The declaration has 10 principles covering leadership, resources, education, research, opportunity and representation. You can find out more about the principles and about Scottish Gymnastics’ support and opportunities for members below.
PIctured alongside Annamarie Phelps CBE with their signed documents are, left to right: Morinari Watanabe, Eirni Aindili, Sarah Powell, Paul Lipton, Robyn Hastings, Doc McKelvey, and Siwan Mair.