Athletes say the cultural review of Canadian gymnastics is inadequate and call on Ottawa to intervene

A group of Canadian gymnasts seeking their own research on their sport was "disappointed but surprised" in the announcement of a cultural review ofGymnastics Canada. It is not".

The McLaren Global Sports Solution (MGSS) wrote to Sports Canada after dozens of current and former gymnasts alleged abuse in the toxic culture of sports. , Gymnastics was hired to analyze Canada's national safe sports policies and procedures.

"GymCan unilaterally imposed this process on survivors without consultation or discussion," said an athlete who claims to be a gymnast for change in a statement.

"This announcement does not guarantee that this process is traumatic, safe and meaningful for survivors to be involved. Indeed, in this announcement, there is no guarantee of abuse in survivors or gymnastics. No mention is made of the epidemic, which follows a consistent pattern of institutions that place more concerns about self-preservation than the needs of survivors, and GymCan fails to truly hear the survivors in this sport. It highlights what's going on. "

Read more: "Very toxic environment": Canadian gymnasts call for action in the case of years of alleged abuse

Public letter to Sports Canada in early April The dozens of gymnasts who wrote the book have since grown to over 550 signatories. Similarly, former gymnast Amelia Klein was nominated as a plaintiff in a class action proposal against Canadian Gymnastics and the Six State Gymnastics Federations. The proposed plaintiff's class alleges physical, sexual and / or psychological abuse while participating in programs offered by these organizations dating back to 1978.

The proposed class action proceedings on page 32 have been filed in the B.C. Supreme Court. last month.

"The MGSS team is pleased to work with GymCan on this important initiative," McLaren CEO Richard McLaren said in a statement Thursday. “Global gymnastics sports face rigorous scrutiny, and the same is true here in Canada. Review the results from international reports and incorporate the voices of athletes and other members of the GymCan community.

Gymnastics complained to Canada's Minister of Sport Pascal Stoongji about the toxic culture and abuse of sports that St. Onji calls safe sports a "crisis." It was one of the sports.

The Canadian Hockey Association announced last month. After quietly resolving the proceedings, it became a hot topic recently. A 24-year-old woman claimed to have been attacked by a member of the World Junior Team, who won the gold medal in 2018, at a gala in London four years ago. Neither claim has been proved in court.

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"Gymnastics is government By requiring full attention and continuing to ignore our call in this regard, we endanger the perception of accomplices alongside GymCan, "said the gymnast.

"The Legacy Standing Committee has ordered an independent investigation into the culture of Canadian hockey. Just as Hockey Canada pays for its own investigation, GymCan guarantees oversight and accountability. It should shock the government and the public's conscience that they should be allowed to investigate themselves without it. "

Canadian hockey executives last week had a problem with the Standing Committee of the Canadian Parliament. Was grilled by a parliamentarian while investigating. National sports organizations have lost government funding and some major sponsors to handle the case.

In gymnastics, 11 former gymnasts known as Bluewater Survivors also publicly criticized GymCan for handling an abuse investigation against coaches Dave and Elizabeth Brubaker last month, again with forced silence. He said he was sacrificed. Eleven are made up of a core group of athletes who have promoted third-party investigations and testified in the 2020 Canadian Gymnastics Disciplinary Action.

Read more: More than 12 athletes suing Canadian gymnastics, Ontario agency on suspicion of abuse

According to 11., the March 2021 disciplinary action, trained from Bluewater Gymnastics in Sarnia, Ontario, resulted in 54 illegal acts, including emotional, psychological, physical and sexual abuse, for one year. Seen in the couple's ability as a coach for up to multiple years. Dave Bullbaker was arrested in 2017.

Bullbaker has been charged with multiple charges of sexual abuse. He was acquitted, but GymCan began his own investigation after receiving numerous complaints, and Brubaker was acquitted in 2021. His wife Elizabeth was suspended from 2019 to 2024. Brubakers denied all allegations.

The gymnast for the change said McLaren's review was "purchased and paid by GymCan" and was not independent, calling for intervention in Sports Canada.

They said GymCan's response "has amazing similarities" to the strategy adopted by USA Gymnastics following the Larry Nassar scandal. Nasser, a US gymnast, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being accused of sexual assault by hundreds of women.

"By not inviting a completely independent, transparent, binding, traumatic investigation, GymCan acknowledges the pervasive systemic abuse throughout the sport. It has been refusing to hold people accountable for that, or those who support it, a toxic system for decades, "they said.

Read more: Gymnastics Canada states that it will support an independent investigation of athlete abuse

McLaren said in a Thursday release: The culture review roadmap identifies important issues not only for athletes and graduates of various levels, but also for state and territory leaders, coaches and parents.

"It is imperative that Gymnastics Canada do this correctly, so joining the GymCan community informs best-in-class cultural reviews and ideally fosters trust in the process. I believe we can do it, "says McLaren.

Added GymCan CEO Ian Moss. We are confident that the Culture Review Roadmap will give you the clarity you need to make the necessary changes to your system and build a higher level of trust.

In McLaren's previous research, we investigated state-sponsored doping allegations and evidence in Russia commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2016. The report was released in two parts in July and December 2016.

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