Four-time Olympic diver Melissa Wu encourages athletes to seek support if they receive abuse

Melissa Wu was subjected to bullying when she was a younger diver, so she understands the importance of a strong support network.

Olympic diver Melissa Wu has urged more athletes to speak up if they feel victimised. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Four-time Olympic diver Melissa Wu, who once said she “struggled” being on the Australian team due to bullying, has urged more athletes to seek support if they feel victimised in the wake of Swimming Australia’s investigation into allegations of abuse within the sport.

Australian swimming has been stunned by a host of fresh allegations of mistreatment, from coaches “oinking” at swimmers, to female swimmers being told they’re “getting a lard arse”, or another who was told to “get a boob reduction”.

The allegations of a “degrading and abusive” culture come after former Olympic medallist Maddie Groves announced her withdrawal from Australia’s Olympic selection trials, citing “misogynistic perverts” in the sport.

Swimming Australia is forming an “independent female panel” to be led by board director Tracy Stockwell, a three-time US Olympic gold medal winner.

Wu has previously detailed her struggles with bullying in her earlier years in the Australian diving team.

Wu experienced bullying on multiple occasions as a young diver, while she has seen others subjected to taunts, prompting her to previously declare: “I struggled being on teams for many years when I was younger.”

Melissa Wu was bullied in her early days as an Australian diver. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Wu credits an improved Australian team environment in the latter years of her career for keeping her in diving.

“I certainly mentioned certain things when I was younger that I struggled with, but I think the back half of my career being an older athlete I’ve definitely enjoyed being on teams and getting to know them,” said Wu, who was announced in Australia’s diving team for the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday.

“That supportive environment has been integral in me staying in the sport.

“There are always challenges as you grow up, but I think it is really important to have a good support network of people around you that you are comfortable with and trust.

“Having those people, whether they are within your sport or outside it, is really important.

“I’ve also been really lucky to have good family that I could lean on for support.

“But I think in our sport I leave it up to management and just try and be a good role model and look out for other team members and the younger generation where I can.”

Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll played a pivotal role in the introduction of the Sport Integrity Australia framework to eradicate abuse in sport.

Carroll is confident all sport is heading in the right direction in terms of setting up a platform to push for social change.

Wu now understands the importance of a strong support network. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

“We consider athlete abuse in any shape or form needs to be ruled out of sport,” Carroll said.

“The integrity framework has now been established by the government and we are continuing to work that through.

“All the sports have systems in place, and if they want to, they can refer the matter to directly to the sports tribunal in Canberra as an independent way of doing it.

“Swimming Australia have moved swiftly, and they have invited their athletes to come forward if they have issues.”

Diving Australia president Michael Murphy, who won two golds and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games as a diver, also supported Swimming Australia’s investigation into abuse within the sport.

“I can’t comment on what is going on in swimming, but they are launching an investigation, which makes a lot of sense,” Murphy said.

“From the board’s perspective at Diving Australia, it is clearly a topic, athlete’s safety, and a safe environment, at the top of the list in importance for our sport.

“We haven’t had issues that have been brought to my attention, but if there ever were I’d encourage people to speak out.

“It is something that we take very seriously.”

Originally published as Four-time Olympic diver Melissa Wu encourages athletes to seek support if they receive abuse