More than half of complaints referred to
police or social servicesAllegations of mistreatment made at all levels of the sportMore than 220 calls alleging abuse in
British gymnastics have been received on a special hotline set up by the NSPCC – with more than half considered so serious they have resulted in a referral to the police or social services.
The hotline was set up in July after dozens of gymnasts spoke out against abuse in the British system, including the world championship medallists Becky and Ellie Downie who said “cruel” behaviour was “so ingrained in our daily lives that it became completely normalised”.