Gymnastics historical sex abuse case: Survivor claims ‘catastrophic failures’
Warning: This article contains references to rape and sexual abuse
A survivor of historical child sexual abuse at the hands of a former trampoline coach has accused British Gymnastics of “catastrophic failures” in what she claims is the biggest case of sexual abuse in the governing body’s history.
Olympic diver Brian Phelps, who won a 1960 bronze medal at the Rome Olympics as a teenager, became a trampolining coach at a gymnastics club after his career finished. But he was later jailed in 2008, external, aged 64, after admitting a string of indecent assaults against three children.
Phelps – who also won gold at the 1962 and 1966 Commonwealth Games – served six years of a nine-year jail sentence.
However, ‘Emma’ – whose name the BBC has changed to protect her identity – claims there are at least 12 further victims, including herself.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Emma revealed how – in the mid-1970s – from the age of five, she was raped and molested by Phelps at the trampolining gym he ran with his wife Monica.
The British Gymnastics affiliated gym then moved to a new premises in Poole, Dorset, and was renamed ‘Olga’. Emma says the abuse continued in a basement room.
Read more here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/64647237