Team GB’s women’s gymnastics coach quits weeks before Olympics

Team GB’s women’s gymnastics team has suffered major disruption less than 3 months before the Paris Olympics after the national head coach David Kenwright suddenly quit his role.

He only took over from Amanda Reddin in 2022, when she stood down following multiple allegations of abuse made against her. She has always denied the allegations.

Kenwright’s decision follows serious injuries to two of the team’s star performers, Jessica Gadirova and Ondine Achampong, who are both out of contention for Paris 2024.

His reign was successful in performance terms: he led the artistic team to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games, then a World Championships’ silver and last year a European team gold.

There was no indication as to why a top coach would walk away from such a prestigious role so close to an event that most would agree is the pinnacle in any sport.

Kenwright caused controversy following the World Championships in 2022 when, in the wake of the British Gymnastics abuse scandal, he criticised “naysayers”, “non-believers” and “attacks on professional and personal integrity”.

Read more here https://www.itv.com/news/2024-05-01/team-gbs-womens-gymnastics-coach-quits-weeks-before-olympics