It’s time to focus on results and not how athletes look, says Gym Australia
Gymnastics Australia wants to stamp out body shaming of its athletes with a blueprint of dos and don’ts for people working with or watching athletes compete.
Local sporting associations have welcomed a bold Gymnastics Australia initiative aimed at stamping out inappropriate language and body shaming directed at young athletes.
Gymnastics Australia recently introduced its Body Positive Guideline in response to concerns that many young athletes — particularly girls, but also boys — were dropping out of the sport because they were anxious and stressed about too much focus on their bodies.
It is believed to be one of the first sporting organisations in Australia to adopt a body-image strategy.
The guide, which is not yet policy, is aimed at educating coaches, spectators, parents, judges, administration staff and competitors about the proper language and behaviour they should use around young athletes.
Words or terms which may have been used in the past — such as stocky, skinny, heavy or similar, as well as offensive or inappropriate language — are discouraged under the guidelines.
The focus is on athletes’ results, effort and technique, not body appearances.
Gymnastics Australia chief executive Kitty Chiller said the guidelines were important to provide a supportive environment for athletes.
“We should have a training and work environment where all body shapes are spoken to, spoken about and treated with care and respect,” Ms Chiller, Australia’s chef de mission at the 2016 Olympic Games, said.
“The language in the gymnastics community can have a significant impact on self esteem, performance and both long and short-term quality of life.”
Sport SA chief executive officer Leah Cassidy welcomed the new guidelines.
“We all have a responsibility to be mindful of the type of language we use around athletes,” Ms Cassidy said.
“Let’s focus on the training and results, not body image.
“One comment can trigger mainly young girls to react negatively.”
Gymnastics SA junior development coach Sarah Hopkins said her Morphettville-based organisation backed the national body’s initiative.
“The Body Positive Guidelines are a positive step forward for our sport,” Hopkins said.
“Athlete wellbeing is so important and it’s fantastic to see this introduced.”
Gymnastics Australia athlete wellbeing and engagement officer Stephanie Moorhouse, an Olympic artistic gymnast at the 2004 Athens Games, said the guidelines were an important development for her sport.
“Body image has been a big topic in the community and a challenging one,” Ms Moorhouse said.
“We want to provide a supportive culture during and after the athletes’ careers. If they are healthy and happy, they will stay in the sport.”
New research on teenage participation in sport found one in every two Australian girls dropped out by age 15.
That compared to 30 per cent of the boys surveyed.
Suncorp’s 2019 Australian Youth Confidence Report found some of those girls were quitting sport due to body image concerns.