Category: ethics

8 Aug 2026 – International Safe Sport Day

In 2026 some right wing politicians are protecting those who sexually abuse children, voting against safety bills or online privacy laws.

For example, Elon Musk’s Grok was used to generate non-consensual sexualized images and deepfakes of minors. Musk’s company, xAI, filed a lawsuit attempting to block a Minnesota law designed to penalize the creation and sharing of nonconsensual sexual imagery, including deepfakes of minors.

(FIG) World Gymnastics is proud to join the International Safeguards for Children in Sport network by taking the Safe Sport pledge and promoting safeguarding across all our disciplines. …

Safeguarding Roadmap 2028

Today, we are pleased to share our Safeguarding Roadmap 2028, developed with input from athletes, coaches, National Federations (NFs) and experts, and endorsed by the WGYM Safeguarding Commission and leadership. …

  1. Governance & Regulatory: Establish an up-to-date, comprehensive and binding safeguarding policy framework for WGYM & NFs, with clear standards and accountability mechanisms.  
  2. Prevention & Education: Build a structured, scalable education ecosystem that equips athletes, coaches, NF officials and Safeguarding Leads with the knowledge and tools to prevent harm and respond appropriately.
  3. Safeguarding Network: Establish and sustain a global network of Safeguarding Leads, covering all regions and the majority of NFs, each trained to serve as WGYM’s safeguarding partner at the national level.
  4. Strategic Communication: Enhance safeguarding visibility – both internally and externally – and make WGYM a trusted and credible benchmark for safeguarding in sport. 

SAFEGUARDING NEWSLETTER – N° 01 – August 2026

I had input myself on this roadmap. The consultation process seemed to work well — and was surprisingly rapid. World Gymnastics has definitely put a lot of work into the initiative.

That said — children are not yet as well protected in sport as they should be.

Safeguarding is a work in progress.

on ‘sexualizing’ camera angles

The European Broadcasting Union partnered with European Athletics to release new guidance for women’s athletics coverage, with broadcasters urged to focus on performance and technical ability.

The guidelines warn against lingering shots of athletes’ bodies, low camera angles that capture revealing views, and slow-motion replays that offer little technical or storytelling value. …

New women’s athletics guidelines crack down on ‘sexualizing’ camera angles

Hugging is Legal

An old article (1988) but still important. Author Ken Chatel was one of the builders of Trampoline sports in my region.

Adapted from the Alberta Teachers’ Association Magazine, Nov/Dec 1988. Original article by Kathy Peterson.

Last month, in the article “Legalities of Unethical Spotting”, I gave you a cold legal side concerning the growing awareness of sexual abuse that is effecting all our lives and jobs. I think it is important to be informed but to keep everything in perspective. I recently found an article in the “Alberta Teachers Association Magazine”,

Nov/Dec 1988 issue, which I feel expresses the warmer side of the issue very well. Here are some of the key points:

“In fact, our entire society appears to have gone overboard on the “touching as sexual abuse” bandwagon, to the point where the simple expression of affection or caring is seriously frowned upon. Certainly it is true that children must be protected from inappropriate sexual advances, but I’m wondering if, in our zeal to “protect,” we have not taken away a very valuable and necessary ingredient of life and the growing-up process — that of physical closeness. Children, particularly preadolescents and adolescents, are notoriously insecure and thus are fraught with feelings of uncertainty. Are we really helping them by denying them the wonderful virtues of a hug, which can instantly, if temporarily, remove or alleviate these feelings?

Yet teachers sometimes are strictly forbidden to hug their students, kids with whom they spend as much time or more time during the school term than do any other adults. Granted a hug can be misused; hence the current overcautiousness with sexual abuse. But why not think positively by having faith in human nature, replace pessimism and suspicion with optimism, and lear again to demonstrate genuine affection with a hug when it is warranted?

How magnificent that so simple a gesture can mean so much! How unfortunate that adults today are cautioned to withhold this demonstration of affection, or to give it with a disquieting sense of trepidation.

However, as we all know, individuals are just that – individuals – and what works for one, or even the majority, does not work for all. This also is true of hugging. Some kids simply do not like or want to be touched, so the compassionate adult must quickly discern and respect this message. I found such kids to be the minority.

But just as students differ, so do teachers, and I realize that not all educators are comfortable with physical expression of appreciation or affection. So be it! Certainly “hugging” cannot be forced; for kids are quick to recognize and reject superficiality. These teachers have their own unique ways of communicating their feelings to the students.

World Athletics continues Russian ban

This means World Gymnastics could have done the same.

STICK like Uchimura

Dvora Meyers put together a deep dive into the history of competition Gymnastics landings. She digs into the evolution of landing mats, as well.

The most dangerous part of most routines.

If gymnasts are allowed a controlled lunge on Floor, use that technique. It’s much safer — absorbing force over more time and distance.

Personally, my strategy as a coach is to train competition landings with the goal of a 0.1 deduction small hop. If the gymnasts happens to STICK for no deduction once-in-a-while, I consider it a 0.1 bonus over the plan.

Read the article on Defector:

The Case Against Sticking The Landing

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

teaching kids about UNSAFE touching

Parents of recreation gymnast needed to be educated about “spotting“, of course.

“It’s the Hard Knock Life”

Nobody knows better than gymnasts how to fall safely. And get back up. 

It’s not the falls that stop girls from training sport.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Rachael Denhollander – What Is a Girl Worth?

Available in hardcover, Kindle and audio.

Recommended children’s book – How Much Is a Little Girl Worth?

Click PLAY or watch Rachael on YouTube.

coaches should not require weigh-ins

The last time I saw a scale in a Gym was 2003. I asked that it be removed.

Unless there is some specific reason — scientific research in training, for example — there’s no need for weigh-ins at training. And there are some risks, as we’ve seen in the past.

I prefer gymnasts weigh in at home in private. Or under instructions from medical staff.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. This is the new policy of British Gymnastics.