British Gymnastics introduces new policy to further protect welfare of gymnasts

British Gymnastics has introduced a new safe sport policy surrounding flexibility training for clubs and coaches to follow to further protect the safety of their athletes. The policy highlights that flexibility training needs to “account for a gymnast’s individual abilities and acknowledge anatomical differences, be progressive and realistic, encouraging two-way communication between gymnasts and coaches, allow gymnasts to reduce the intensity of a stretch or stop a stretch.” More information on the policy can be found here.

The organisation has also recently published safe sport policies on Hydration, Weighing, Academic Education and Pain, Injury and Illness. In early 2025, these policies will be joined by upcoming policies focusing on Nutrition and Training and Holistic Development. The introduction of this new Flexibility Training policy coincides with the annual Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week (7-11 October). It is also a component of the organisation’s #BeTheChange campaign which promotes “safe and fair gymnastics.”

British Gymnastics’ Director of Welfare and Safe Sport, Geraldine Costello, said:

“As a foundation sport that helps you explore and develop what your body can do, gymnastics attracts hundreds of thousands of people to take part each year, with the vast majority of these being children and young people. With that comes a collective responsibility for us all to ensure they are at the centre of our approach and their welfare is protected above all else so that they have a positive and uplifting first experience of physical activity that can lead on to a happy, healthy, and active life. This, like all of the new policies we have introduced over the past year, is therefore rooted in the care of participants as a person first, and a gymnast second.”

The new policy has been developed over the last 18 months. Gymnasts, coaches, clubs, parents, experts and organisations beyond gymnastics all came together to create the policy. British Gymnastics has also introduced essential online training on the policy for coaches, welfare officers and gymnastics activity instructors, to be completed by 3 February 2025. There is also a webcast arranged for parents, gymnasts and deliverers to have their questions answered.

 

The image has been taken from British Gymnastics website