Leading gymnastics coach Peddy Liddick sanctioned for harassment of Olympic athlete

A Gymnastics Australia Hall of Fame coach who said she would «lock [teenage athletes] in their room and feed them peas and carrots under the door» has been sanctioned but not stood down from the sport.

The National Sports Tribunal found Peggy Liddick, Australian women's artistic team boss from 1997 to 2016, guilty of harassing two-time Olympian Georgia Bonora.

Liddick, described by several former gymnasts as «the most powerful person in the sport of gymnastics», was given a suspended four-month ban and made to apologise.

«Dear Georgia,» she wrote to Bonora this week.

«Pursuant to Order 5 of the National Sports Tribunal Determination dated 18 January 2022, as directed by the Tribunal, I apologise to you and acknowledge that I engaged in unacceptable coaching behaviours, in particular the use of negative language which was belittling, offensive and humiliating and cause great upset to you. Kind regards Peggy Liddick.»

Liddick stopped leading national teams five years ago, after which she remained a «technical member» and Life Member of Gymnastics Australia (she was personal coach to elite national team members from 2017 to 2020), an influential Victorian-based coach, and an internationally recognised judge.

Interim restrictions had been placed on Liddick while she was under investigation.

The ABC tried to contact the American-born coach through her suburban Melbourne club Athleta, but she did not respond.

Bonora, 31, represented Australia in two Olympic Games (2008 and 2012), four world championships (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010) and one Commonwealth Games (2010).

In retirement she became a coach in Melbourne, where Liddick was also training athletes.

«I'd recently been re-exposed to her coaching,» Bonora said.

«It all sort of came back