Skip to main content

Search

Gymnastics in Australia Review

Sex Discrimination
Gymnast applying chalk

Update: Submissions to the Gymnastics in Australia review have now closed.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (Commission) is seeking submissions from members of the Gymnastics in Australia community including current and former athletes and their families.

This submission form includes questions on the culture of gymnastics in Australia, as well as specific questions regarding risk factors of misconduct, bullying, abuse, sexual harassment and assault for athletes and an awareness of relevant Gymnastics Australia policies.

Submissions must be made by a person over the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18, a parent/guardian must make a written submission on your behalf. A parent/guardian must consent to your participation if you are under the age of 18 by either attaching a signed Participation Information Sheet and Consent Form – Parent/Guardian to the submission and/or by selecting the relevant box at the end of the submission form.

You are not required to answer any of the questions listed below. You can choose to make a written submission by either using the free text box, by attaching a document to this submission form, or by emailing your submission to gymnastics@humanrights.gov.au.

Please note that by making a submission you are not making a complaint or report.

By providing a submission for this Review, you consent to the Commission collecting and using the information you provide for the purposes of this Review.

Submissions to the review have now closed. If you would like any further information or have any questions concerning this Review, please contact either Maria Twomey, Nevo Rom or another member of the Gymnastics in Australia Review Team at gymnastics@humanrights.gov.au or on 1800 314 621.

Making a submission about misconduct, bullying, abuse, sexual harassment and assault can be distressing. If you decide to make a submission and find that either during or after completing the submission, you have become distressed as a result, please click here to find a list of national support services that provide counselling and other forms of support.

  • Participation Information Sheets and Consent Forms
  • Who is conducting this Review?

    The Review is being conducted by the Commission and will be led by the Review Team and supported by other qualified Commission staff.

  • What will happen to the information I provide?

    Personal Information

    By providing a submission for this Review, you consent to the Commission collecting and using the information you provide for the purposes of the Review. The Commission will produce a report on the findings of the Review. The Commission may also produce an interim report, training resources and other materials in connection with the Review. The report and materials will be published on the Commission’s website under a Creative Commons licence with the contents available to be used freely for other purposes.

    Where possible, the Commission will treat your name and personal information confidentially. Your name and other personal information will not be published in the report, or in any other Commission publication. The information you provide may be drawn upon, quoted or referred to in the public report and other resources produced by the Commission in connection with the Review, but will not be attributed to you.

    It is important to be aware that the Commission is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) and documents provided to, or created by, the Commission may have to be disclosed by the Commission in response to a freedom of information request. If the Commission receives a request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) there may be relevant exemptions to disclosure (including for material obtained in confidence and personal information).

    Wherever possible, the Commission will consult with you about any Freedom of Information Act request before a decision is made about releasing information. Information (including personal information) collected during the course of the Review will be stored in accordance with the Archives Act 1983 (Cth), the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth).

    Further information regarding the personal information handling practices of the Commission is available on the Commission’s website, specifically in the Privacy Policy.

    Reporting obligations

    In certain circumstances, Commission staff and others involved in this Review may be obligated under relevant State and Territory laws, to report to the relevant authorities, an act that involves abuse to a child, or an act that is a ‘serious indictable offence’. This is known as ‘mandatory reporting’. Mandatory reporting obligations may also arise in cases of suspected risk of future abuse or harm or incidents of historic child sex abuse. Whether mandatory reporting obligations are triggered in the course of this Review will be assessed on a case by case basis.

    If the Commission is not required by law to report an act, it may still make a voluntary report to the relevant authorities, in circumstances where the Commission is concerned that serious harm has occurred, or is occurring, or may occur in the future, in accordance with the Commission’s Child Safety and Wellbeing policy.

  • How and when will I find out the results of the Review?

    The Commission intends to publish a report on the findings of the Review in May 2021. This report will be publicly and freely available on the Commission’s website.

  • How is the Review being funded?

    Gymnastics Australia is funding the Australian Human Rights Commission, on a cost recovery basis, to undertake the Review of gymnastics in Australia. The Commission is an independent Commonwealth statutory authority, which ensures the integrity of the Review and provides the participants with confidence in the process, no matter the source of funding.

  • Who can I speak to if I have questions?

    If you would like any further information or have any questions concerning this Review, please contact either Maria Twomey, Nevo Rom or another member of the Gymnastics in Australia Review Team at gymnastics@humanrights.gov.au or on 1800 314 621.

    If you have any concerns about the ethical considerations of this Review, you can contact the UNSW Human Research Ethics Coordinator on (02) 9385 6222 or via email at humanethics@unsw.edu.au, or you can raise your concerns with the Review Team.