International Gymnast magazine had it wrong.
Category: ethics
keeping gymnasts safe
The front page headline where I’m at was the Indianapolis Star investigation on how USA Gymnastics handles allegations of sexual misconduct.
If you want to follow-up on this discussion I recommend GymCastic episode 210.
“IndyStar tracked down four cases in which USA Gymnastics was warned of suspected abuse by coaches but did not initiate a report to authorities. Those coaches went on, according to police and court records, to abuse at least 14 underage gymnasts after the warnings.”
GymCastic and our twitter account @GymCoaching are the only two sites I know of consistently linking to stories of coaches accused of abuse.
It’s an important issue.
That said, let’s put the risk of coaching sexual misconduct in perspective.
I’m far more worried about motor vehicle accidents driving to the Gym than I am of sexual abuse.
I’m far more worried about injuries in the Gym than I am of sexual abuse.
Fact is that female gymnasts are the best protected children in town, on average.
The GymCastic audiocast mentions Larrissa Miller as an example. In 2015, Larrissa revealed that she had been sexually abused by an extended family member from the ages of 5 to 16.
Not a coach.
If you worry about child sexual assault take a close look at friends & family of those kids you feel are vulnerable. Protect your own.
USA Gymnastics could do more to safeguard their members. I agree. This media attention will help.
But it’s far easier for independent watchdog sites to track past offenders. Suspected potential offenders. The best we have so far is GymCastic’s List of Gymnastics Coaches In The News for Alleged Abuse database.
If concerned, you should volunteer to help update that list.
Finally, I believe people are innocent until proven guilty. How many innocent coaches will be accused in aftermath of this news story?
related – Bekah – Put down your torches: In defense of USAG
UPDATE – A message from Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics
271 RUS athletes cleared to compete
This is more than two-thirds of their original entry list of 389 athletes, despite the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) recommending a blanket ban after a doping scandal.
Here’s the list of Gymnastics sports athletes approved.
Olympic.org posted the official statement.
does USAG do enough to protect kids?
The Indianapolis Star posted a lengthy article detailing numerous cases where the reporters feel the National Sports Governing Body could have done more, sooner.
Timing is lousy since most of the world is distracted by something happening in Rio right now. This is an important issue. Better would be to have posted a week ago. Or right after the Olympics.
Publishing now does smack of Olympic opportunism.
USA Gymnastics’ response to Indianapolis Star’s report
For information on how USA Gymnastics handles allegations of sexual misconduct, please click here.
Handspring TRIPLE front
We’ve spent two quadrennials in fear of catastrophic injury on WAG Vault – Handspring double front.
This new vault is significantly more dangerous. 😦
Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter. Igor Radivilov, 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist.
first female Presidential nominee
One of the themes of this site is empowerment of women in sport. Women in life. Every girl in America now knows she could be President.
“We’re on our way to breaking the highest and hardest glass ceiling.”
Watch the Morgan Freeman narrated VIDEO aired before Clinton officially accepted her historic nomination.
women in sport #ChampionHer
Share #ChampionHer.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Thanks Scott.
Russian gymnasts cleared for Rio
Russian artistic gymnasts – all clean, cleared to compete in Rio! Breaking news – injury alert
Click through to see some injury updates.
(via papaliukin)
Kohei on the IOC doping decision
“It’s absolutely wrong to ban athletes who have not broken the rules. It (this decision) is good,” said Uchimura, a six-times world all-around champion.
“Those who dope can’t complain even if they get banned for life,” the 27-year-old Japanese told the Kyodo news agency.
You can argue that all Russian athletes should be banned. Including gymnasts. Many are taking that position. I respect the argument.
Russian sport is corrupt and deserves sanction up to but not including disallowing athletes and coaches not proven personally guilty. That’s my opinion.
Yulia Stepanova denied Rio
What!? 😦
The IOC has rejected the bid by Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova to compete as neutral athlete in Olympics.
Stepanova was cleared by track and field’s world governing body earlier this month to compete as a neutral athlete in the European championships and the Olympics. But the IOC did not accept the decision for the Olympics. …
The 800-meter runner provided evidence to the World Anti-Doping Agency of widespread cheating in Russia that led the IAAF to bar the country’s track and field athletes from international competition, including the Rio Games.
Stepanova, who served a two-year doping ban before turning whistleblower, is now living and training in the United States at an undisclosed location.
Without Yulia we wouldn’t know about systematic Russian doping corruption. What whistleblower will ever come forward in future?
related – No one really wants a Whistle Blower: Russia, the IOC, and Doping.
(via Nancy Armour)
Gymnastics Coaching.com 