Banned gymnastics coaches list is ‘serious betrayal’, with abusive coaches ‘conspicuously absent’

They are not household names, but many are locked deep in the minds of those they abused. 

Today, as British Gymnastics publishes its long-awaited ‘banned and expelled’ list, the gymnasts who carry the scars inflicted by those now named will feel partly vindicated. 

The list, published online, comprises 63 names, more than half of whom have criminal convictions.

Only 28, in a catalogue dating back to the early nineties, are there for safeguarding reasons. 

‘They tried to silence me’: Ex-gymnast says she was sanctioned for speaking out

This has caused anger and concern in parts of the gymnastics community, who say only coaches guilty of the most serious offences have been identified, and others who still pose a risk have not been named. 

There are coaches, known to many in the gymnastics’ world, who have been expelled but are not named.

When asked on Wednesday to explain why, British Gymnastics said: “Some names did object to this publication, and we will be assessing these based on data protection legislation, with advice from the governance team and our legal advisers.

“Until a final decision is made on these individual cases, the names will not be published.”

Read more here https://www.itv.com/news/2023-09-20/banned-gymnastics-coaches-list-is-serious-betrayal-say-gymnast-groups