Departure of Kitty Chiller as Gymnastics Australia chief executive prompts praise, anger

The chief executive of Gymnastics Australia will leave the organisation less than a year after the sport established a process to investigate allegations of abuse. 

Some in the sports industry have praised her work but others, who are not satisfied with the outcome of complaints, have expressed frustration and anger.

Kitty Chiller, former Olympian and Rio Games Chef de Mission, has been the head of gymnastics in Australia since 2017 but will depart in March.

«It has been a great privilege to be involved in gymnastics over the last four years,» she said in a statement.

Gymnastics Australia president Ben Heap praised Ms Chiller.

«Kitty's commitment to a culture of transparency and trust and the empowerment of the athlete voice through implementing policies and behaviours as part of a transformational cultural change project will have a positive effect on the sport for decades to come.»

The Gymnastics Australia statement does not say whether Ms Chiller resigned or was sacked, only that she «will be leaving Gymnastics Australia to take on a new opportunity in sports leadership».

Ms Chiller has overseen a tumultuous period in gymnastics.

In the wake of the Larry Nassar revelations around abuse in American gymnastics, the sport in Australia moved slowly to address concerns.

In April 2018, Ms Chiller said the sport would be «formalising practices that have already been in place» as it announced new child safety guidelines.

«There's never been any evidence or complaints that anyone's been unhappy within the Gymnastics Australia environment,» Ms Chiller said at the time.

Later in 2018, Ms Chiller ended an investigation into the National Centre of Excellence in Melbourne, telling parents the majority of allegations listed in the interim