Australian Olympic Rowing team’s ‘culture of fear’ exposed in scathing report

A report into Rowing Australia’s worst Olympic performance in almost 40 years has uncovered some uncomfortable truths about the sport.

A Rowing Australia review following the sport’s worst Olympic performance in almost four decades has found a “culture of fear and repercussion” within the high performance program.

The culture concerns were listed among a number of critical failings that have led to a major overhaul for the sport ahead of the Los Angeles Games.

Australia won just one medal at last year’s Paris Games – a bronze in the women’s pair – in its worst Olympic return since 1988.

While it was found “positive practices and areas of excellence existed within the programs”, a comprehensive report completed after extensive interviews of athletes and coaches in the Olympic and Paralympic programs both before and after the Games, highlighted several concerning road blocks for high performance that existed in the 2021-2024 high performance (HP) cycle.

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A Rowing Australia review has found culture concerns within high performance after the sport’s worst Olympic campaign. Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

These included:

■ Some behaviours of coaches led to a number of athletes and staff to refer to a culture of fear and repercussion within the HP program

■ Unfair and unclear selection processes

■ Escalation pathways lacking structure and accountability

■ Absence of a unified “Rowing Australia Way”

■ Poor coaching leadership

■ Communication and collaboration: lacking purpose and clarity

Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook said poor coaching leadership was a key theme of the report.

“There were some behaviours of our coaches that led to a number of athletes and staff to refer to a culture of fear and repercussion within the high performance program,” Cook said.

“That certainly wasn’t all coaches but there was a feeling that the behaviours of some of the coaches led to what you could say (was) a lack of psychological safety within the program.”

As a two-time Olympian, Sarah Cook brings a unique athlete perspective to her role as Rowing Australia CEO. Picture: Martin Ollman

Dual Olympian opens up on rowing controversy

Two-time Olympian Georgie Rowe, meanwhile, has recommitted to Rowing Australia’s high performance program after changes following the Paris Games.

While the report talked about “fear”, Rowe said from her perspective, it was more about a lack of clarity.

“It wasn’t like I was afraid to come to training, or there was any abuse, or anything like that,” Rowe said.

“It was more like I was afraid, if I didn’t perform well, how that would impact my place on the team.”

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