Two more Team GB gymnasts call for athletes to speak out after she stood down amid bullying probe

Two more Team GB gymnasts coached by Amanda Reddin have called on athletes to come forward over allegations of bullying in the sport.

Double-Olympian Hannah Whelan, 28, and Olympic athlete Jennifer Pinches, 26, used social media to ask fellow gymnasts with concerns to respond to the Whyte Review.

‘I know how hard it is to speak the truth (trust me),’ said Ms Whelan as she shared the appeal, ‘but if we stand together, we can make gymnastics a happy and safe place for everyone to be a part of’.

Amanda Reddin, the top coach in British Gymnastics, has temporarily stood down following allegations of bullying, leaving athletes starving after serving ‘baby plate’-sized portions and slapping an athlete in the 1980s.

She denies all allegations against her.

The Whyte Review, commissioned by UK Sport and Sport England, is an independent review into allegations of mistreatment in British Gymnastics between 2008 and 2020. It will be overseen by Anne Whyte QC.

Amanda Reddin, the top coach at British Gymnastics , has temporarily stood down following allegations of bullying and that she presided over a ‘culture of fear’

Her former student and double-Olympian Hannah Whelan, 28, has called on athletes to submit allegations of harassment to an independent review into the sport

Her former student and double-Olympian Hannah Whelan, 28, has called on athletes to submit allegations of harassment to an independent review into the sport

She was joined by former Reddin student and Olympic athlete Jennifer Pinches, 26, who shared her appeal on social media

She was joined by former Reddin student and Olympic athlete Jennifer Pinches, 26, who shared her appeal on social media

The athletes shared requests for evidence to be submitted to the Whyte Review on Instagram, and added the caption ‘Don’t leave it too late!’.

‘Please, please, please. We need to get to the bottom of this,’ said Ms Whelan. ‘We need everyone to come forward (again) to help with this review’.

She has previously said on Instagram that British gymnastics ‘could have been done and still could be done differently to make a better experience and environment for all levels of gymnastics’.

‘I may never be able to, nor want to share my full experiences in gymnastics,’ she wrote, ‘but I wanted to make something clear’.

‘Gymnastics is not about “coach-bashing”. There are so many incredible coaches that I have had the privilege of working with as a gymnast and now as a coach.

‘However, after YEARS of reflection and some dark times, I now know and understand the difference between tough coaching and abusive coaching.’

Ms Whelan posted this message on Instagram, which was shared by Ms Pinches

Ms Whelan posted this message on Instagram, which was shared by Ms Pinches

The Whyte Review will look into allegations of bullying and mistreatment in British Gymnastics

The Whyte Review will look into allegations of bullying and mistreatment in British Gymnastics

Ms Whelan said on Instagram that changes could be made to gymnastics at all levels

Ms Whelan said on Instagram that changes could be made to gymnastics at all levels

Ms Pinches wrote in The Daily Telegraph last month that there is a ‘culture of abuse and fear that permeates the whole sport’.

‘There has definitely been a normalised level of emotional abuse, sometimes progressing to physical abuse, which needs to stop,’ she said.

Reddin temporarily stepped down just hours after gymnast Ruby Harrold, who claimed she had presided over a ‘culture of fear’ at Team GB camps in Lilleshall, said food portions left her and fellow gymnasts hungy.

‘How would you feel if you were 21 years old being given ultimately a baby plate to eat off? It’s demeaning… it’s unhealthy,’ she said, reports The Guardian.

The BBC reported that a gymnast called Jenny, who had been coached by Reddin at the Bright School of Gymnastics in the 1980s, claimed she had been slapped and verbally abused by the embattled coach. 

British Gymnastics has confirmed that they are looking into several allegations made against Reddin and that she will step aside temporarily ‘to allow an investigation to proceed into claims about her conduct as a coach’.

‘The investigation will be completed by an external independent expert and any outcome actioned immediately,’ they said. ‘Our processes and investigations will also be scrutinised by the independent review.’

Reddin has denied all accusations against her. She is pictured working with an athlete

Reddin has denied all accusations against her. She is pictured working with an athlete

British gymnast Amy Tinkler yesterday revealed how she was left feeling 'sick' after British Gymnastics rejected her allegation against Reddin after the matter was 'dealt with'

British gymnast Amy Tinkler yesterday revealed how she was left feeling ‘sick’ after British Gymnastics rejected her allegation against Reddin after the matter was ‘dealt with’

Team GB Rio 2016 bronze medallist Amy Tinkler slammed British Gymnastics on social media yesterday after its governing body dismissed her formal complaint against Reddin.

‘On Friday, and only in response to media pressure, I was emailed informing me that my complaints had been dealt with and the matter closed,’ she said. ‘No explanation was given.’

‘The way I received this information made me sick.

‘It reinforced mine and every gymnasts fear, which is that their complaints aren’t dealt with fairly and independently.

‘This is why we don’t speak up. This is why we suffer in silence. We know that to speak up is a pointless, career ending task.’

The body is still investigating her complaint about the South Durham Gymnastics Club, which they received eight months ago.

In her defence, Reddin said: ‘I completely refute these claims, it is wrong that my reputation within the sport that I love is now subject to a trial by media rather than through the proper process.

‘I would welcome the allegations be submitted to the independent review into alleged abuse in gymnastics to ensure the integrity of the process is protected for both athletes and coaches.’

The historical allegation against Reddin dated from the 1980s has been dropped as it ‘could not be substantiated’ due to its age, reports The Guardian.