There has been an uproar in Australia over the activities of former top coach Alex Parnov.
14:35•Updated 14:36
The former successful coach of Australian pole vaulting by Alex Parnov shocking additional information about the activity was obtained when The Australian newspaper reported that Parnov had sexually harassed and touched several young women who were under his training.
The Russian-born Parnov worked at the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) from 1998 to 2019. He resigned in 2019 around the same time as an investigation into the coach’s alleged misconduct began.
In a recent story in the Australian magazine, several athletes who were under Parnov came out about the incident. According to the magazine, many young women who had experienced inappropriate treatment had informed WAIS about the abuses, but in the hope of sporting success, Parnov was not fired.
After a previous investigation, the Australian Athletics Federation banned Parnov for life, but the federation said it would investigate the course of events again. Fresh magazine claims shocked the sports association.
– We support those who have spoken about it. We encourage anyone who has experienced unacceptable behavior to come forward and speak to us in confidence so we can take further action, Athletics Australia CEO Simon Hollingsworth quoth.
Kennedy got the secret off his shoulders
WAIS said in its recent announcement that it was appalled by Parnov’s alleged behavior. WAIS admitted it was aware of some of the allegations against Parnov, but the extent of the harassment came as a surprise to the institute.
– WAIS has an obligation to take care of athletes, and it is clear that in the case of Parnov, we did not do enough to protect them, the release stated.
Parnov has coached pole vaulters, including last summer’s Olympic champion Nina Kennedy and the 2008 Olympic champion Steve Hooker.
– I believe that the parties responsible for protecting us failed to protect me and others. They allowed my former coach’s harmful behavior to continue for over a decade. This story has weighed on me for several years, 27-year-old Kennedy told The Australian.