Former British gymnast Louis Smith has warned of a “culture of fear” within the sport.
Smith, who retired in 2018 with four Olympic medals to his name, said that gymnasts within Britain did not even know who to approach about potential abuse.
The 31-year-old voiced his concerns in the wake of a host of gymnasts - past and present - revealing allegations of physical and verbal abuse.
Smith said in an Instagram post: “If they [the gymnasts] had an issue, they wouldn’t know who to talk to about it, who to approach, not only to talk about the issue but to get the issue heard and to get it resolved and especially with no repercussions coming back on them and affecting their future competitions.
“The idea of a gymnast asking for help from British Gymnastics is baffling. You keep quiet.
"Why would I speak up about a coach that’s doing something because if British Gymnastics ended up speaking to that coach somehow the coach will listen to all the allegations but that coach has to go back into that gym with that gymnast and he’s going to treat them differently?
“You’re telling me there’s not going to be any animosity from a coach who’s had a complaint made against them. Potentially that coach has the power to select who’s going to be picked for an Olympic team.”
British Gymnastics announced this week they had launched an independent inquiry into the alleged abuse.
