WAIS gymnastics review details physical, emotional abuse of child athletes, body shaming

Former elite child gymnasts say a report recommending they receive an apology for past alleged abuse does not go far enough, and they want the state government and national sporting peak body to hold those responsible accountable.

Sport Integrity Australia was commissioned to investigate after dozens of women came forward alleging they were subject to systematic physical and emotional abuse by coaches and staff when training in an elite gymnastics program in Western Australia.

SIA today handed down its report into the allegations which covered a period between 1987 and 2016.

It details allegations of children subject to a «culture of fear» that included verbal and physical abuse, frequent and traumatising skin fold testing, weight shaming and being expected to train while injured.

The Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) which ran the women's artistic gymnastics program for 28 years before it was shut down in 2016, today apologised for the abuse the child athletes suffered.

«To those who experienced abuse and harm we apologise,» WAIS chair Neil McLean said in a  statement.

«We are sorry that your experiences were painful rather than enjoyable and we apologise for the elements of the WAIS program that failed you.

»Sport is meant to be a healthy and enjoyable experience and we are sorry that this was clearly not the experience for some who participated in our gymnastics program."

He said the institute accepted the review's recommendations and had already begun implementing them.

One participant described developing arthritis in her late 20s and was told by her doctor she would need a double hip replacement because of the gymnastics.

«He said all my old stretching positions are probably how it started,» the woman told the