Category: ethics

USA Gymnastics:

… USA Gymnastics will not endorse, agree, enforce, propose or otherwise support the use of non-disclosure or other similar forms of agreements that are intended to prevent survivors from speaking about their experiences in conjunction with any claims of abuse.

USA Gymnastics is committed to do everything it can to support its athletes and others, who want to tell their stories without restraint, and these types of agreements can undermine confidence in our commitment.

The policy of USA Gymnastics is to encourage an open and transparent discussion of these issues, recognizing that only through such openness can perpetrators be identified, and potential victims of abuse be protected.  …

USA Gymnastics statement regarding non-disclosure agreements

Click PLAY or watch Buttercup on YouTube.

In a recent Q&A session Gretchen Kerr, vice-dean of academic affairs at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education talks about her role as a volunteer athlete welfare officer with Gymnastics Canada and her views regarding emotional abuse.

As a psychologist Kerr’s field of expertise is the emotional abuse of athletes which she is using to advocate policy change and influence coach education. …

There is a fine line between pushing an athlete to be their best and maltreatment. That line is crossed when the athlete performs through fear and intimidation rather than their desire to achieve.

In their paper Stirling and Kerr (2008) report that emotional abuse takes the form of physical behaviours, verbal behaviours and the denial of attention and support – bullying, berating, humiliating, degrading and intimidating/threatening are all forms of emotional abuse. …

read more on Warriors In Leotards

Emotional abuse has been little documented compared against sexual abuse.

USA Gymnastics reached in December 2016 a confidential out-of-court settlement with an NDA with Olympic champion McKayla Maroney.

But were there others?

We’d believed McKayla was the only one.

After Scott Reid turned up two more cases, here’s the response:

“USA Gymnastics answered specifically and truthfully in its response to Senators Blumenthal and Moran.

USA Gymnastics does not use or require a non-disclosure agreement as part of an investigation.

The Senators asked about investigations, not settlements. To clarify the facts, approximately 10 years ago, mutual settlements were separately reached in two publicly filed lawsuits. As you recited, the settlement agreements included routine language that the plaintiffs would not disclose the amount of the settlement or the terms of the agreement beyond family, accountants and taxing authorities.

The plaintiffs in these cases are not bound by any other confidentiality restrictions, and their allegations have always been a matter of public record. USA Gymnastics encourages them to speak about their experiences if they so choose to help prevent abuse in the sport. …

USA Gymnastics denies using non-disclosure agreements, but two settlements say otherwise

Thanks Jim.