Former WAIS gymnasts to be offered acknowledgement payments
The WA Government will offer acknowledgement payments to gymnasts who suffered physical and/or emotional harm while taking part in the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) coaching program that ran from 1988 to 2016.
The payment scheme is part of the State Government’s ongoing response to a Sport Integrity Australia review of the WAIS Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Program, which found former participants had suffered abuse and/or harm. This included allegations such as weight shaming and excessive training, as well as being forced to train while injured.
The acknowledgement payment scheme, offering $15,000 per person, is open to former WAIS WAG gymnasts who competed or trained to represent WAIS at a National Championship level. Over the course of the program, these athletes were variably described as scholarship holders, elite or competition squad members.
As well as the acknowledgement payments available, funded counselling sessions will be offered to applicants, and former WAIS WAG participants taking part in the Restorative and Reconciliatory Process recommended by Sport Integrity Australia.
In 2022, the Sport and Recreation Minister issued an apology on behalf of the Western Australian Government to gymnasts who suffered harm while participating in the WAIS Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Program.
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) established a Child Safeguarding Implementation Unit. This unit is working to:
- ensure Sport Integrity Australia review recommendations are actioned by WAIS
- oversee an independent governance and culture review of WAIS, currently underway and led by KPMG Australia
- support the DLGSC’s sector partners to implement child safe practices, including sport and recreation groups, local governments, culture and the arts groups, and multicultural organisations.
The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries is responsible for assessing applications for the acknowledgement payment scheme, while the Office of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime in the Department of Justice will administer applications and process payments.
The Office of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime is already working with WAIS on a Restorative and Reconciliatory Process, where former gymnasts have the opportunity to describe the impact of the WAG Program on their lives and receive an apology from WAIS.
The application process will be open from 29 May 2024 until 31 August 2024 and payments to successful applicants will be made in September 2024.