Executive Director of the Gymnastics Association Maria Laakso states to Urheilu that the work to change the sports culture is still in progress.
21 former rhythmic gymnastics national team and competitive athletes published an open letter on Thursday. They demand that the Finnish Gymnastics Federation, the Olympic Committee and the rest of the sports community intervene in the coaching problems of the sport.
The experiences of those who signed the letter with their own names span from the 1980s to the early 2000s. According to them, the training methods that caused trauma may have continued for years. They are concerned that the sport’s coaching methods still do not seem to be in line with modern values.
CEO Laakso said he was sorry for the athletes’ experiences. The gymnastics association says it has started work to change the culture of the sport.
– But it is clear to us that the work is still unfinished. Gymnastics, together with the clubs and coaches, bear the responsibility that the coaching cultural change goes all the way, Laakso commented.
According to Laakso, in rhythmic gymnastics, there is also a commitment that the entire club field will become even more effective in changing the culture of the sport. According to him, it requires even more concrete actions.
– We will align children’s participation in international competitions according to children’s rights. In addition, we are building even clearer guidelines for coaches and club officials, as to what is allowed and prohibited, says Laakso.
According to Laakso, the Gymnastics Association also works internationally and nationally to make the rules and judging of rhythmic gymnastics the healthiest. According to the CEO, the association has already tried to influence the management of the International Gymnastics Federation.
The former gymnasts were not aware of the experiences of the fresh national team representatives of the sport. According to former gymnasts, constant dieting, weight monitoring, humiliating comments, injuries, harsh methods and large amounts of training were commonplace for them.
According to the gymnasts, it is obvious that success has been sought in rhythmic gymnastics without caring about the well-being of children and young people.
The gymnasts commented that the federation and sports bodies have quietly accepted improper behavior over the years, and no responsibility has been taken. What do you think about it?
– Cultural change happens very slowly. When talking about smaller groups and coalition-led land forces, it is easier to attack them. A lot of things have been done there. Cultural change requires everyone involved in sports to stop and also intervene. Courage to do so, says Laakso.
Vapaavuori: “A long way to go”
Chairman of the Finnish Olympic Committee Jan Vapaavuori considers the letter from the former gymnasts to be brave, important and valuable.
– We are on the brink of a big change in elite sports and, above all, in the related coaching culture. This is also a good wake-up call to remind us that there is still a long way to go, Vapaavuori tells Urheilu.
– This letter, even though it mainly describes events some time ago, reflects in a very harsh way how serious the ethical problems have been.
Vapaavuori reminds us of the Olympic Committee’s enhancement support decision, which states that the Olympic Committee is giving the Gymnastics Federation support specifically for the development of rhythmic gymnastics coaching culture and sport analysis.
Subsidies can be interfered with
According to Vapaavuori, it is clear that seeking the limits of performance in elite sports causes mild phenomena and activities that are not ethically sustainable in any way.
– Despite the fact that you aim for the top, you have to be able to do it in a way that is ethically sustainable. This is something that affects the entire Finnish coaching culture in one way or another. Several sports, above all those where you aim for the top at a very young age.
If ethical issues are not dealt with in sports federations, should it affect the subsidies received by the sport in the future?
– Of course you should. Above all, we have to go with encouraging means. Try to bring up the problems, understand where they come from, develop the culture and try to change the coaching culture in a positive way. In the end, it is clear that the support money must also partly depend on how ethically the different sports and sports federations operate, Vapaavuori points out.