‘Everyone should feel safe’: Georgia Godwin sends message to young gymnasts after victory

Fresh from her second gold medal in as many days, Georgia Godwin hopes her achievements at the Commonwealth Games can show the public gymnastics is a safe sport for young people.

Godwin won the individual vault on Tuesday morning (AEST) along with a second silver on the uneven bars, in a head-turning Birmingham campaign that has created positive headlines for the controversy-hit sport.

International gymnastics has spent the past year plagued by scandals, with athletes in multiple countries reporting shocking stories of alleged sexual, physical and mental abuse as well as fat shaming and cultures in which medals take precedence over athlete welfare.

In Australia, the findings of an independent cultural review, conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission and published in May last year, revealed “systemic risk factors” within the sport, including for child abuse and neglect, misconduct, bullying, abuse, sexual harassment and assault towards athletes.

Gymnastics Australia subsequently apologised to its athletes over the “confronting” report and said there was much work to be done.

Godwin said she had found the allegations unsettling, and had deliberately blocked out the conversation because it was detrimental to her mental health when she was attempting to focus on major competitions.

But she said she was hopeful for the sport’s future.

“I do my best to try and show that gymnastics is a safe sport and that everyone should feel safe doing gymnastics,” she said. “And we’re heading in the right direction, so that is really exciting to see.”

The 24-year-old, who is older than many of her female counterparts, felt a responsibility to “mother” the younger athletes.

“I really just tried to take them under my wing and show