Swim star Maddie Groves quits Olympics because of ‘misogynistic perverts’

Silver medallist Maddie Groves has sensationally withdrawn from the Olympic swim team trials, blaming a ‘pervert’ culture.

Rio silver medallist Madeline Groves has pulled out of the Olympics trials

Dual Olympic silver medallist Maddie Groves has sensationally quit this weekend’s Australian swim trials stating “let this be a lesson to all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers”.

Groves, who won two silver medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has repeatedly claimed a sexist and “misogynistic” culture exists in the sport via her social media accounts.

In her latest post following her withdrawal from the Australian Olympic swim team trials in Adelaide this weekend she alleges she had been poorly treated by officials.

Let this be a lesson to all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers - You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time’s UP https://t.co/XMQCRPjNzK

— Maddie Groves (@MaddieGroves_) June 9, 2021

“You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time’s UP” Groves wrote on Twitter referencing her withdrawal from the Olympic trials in Adelaide.

The Queensland swimmer, who has endometriosis and adenomyosis, reposted her tweet to Instagram with the words; “Putting this on the feed for emphasis. Make them pervs quake in fear from the number of people supporting a statement that threatens their existence.”

On November 30 last year Groves detailed she had “definitely” made a complaint about a “person that works at swimming making me feel uncomfortable the way they stare at me in my togs”.

Groves alleged the perpetrator had been promoted.

“I think he went through some personal development first hopefully to teach him to not stare at young women in their toga (sic), THEN he got promoted.”

She also tweeted; “We didn’t really have a #metoo moment in swimming but just realising it was this weirdo staring at my tits when I’m trying to swim”.

Maddie Groves’ Instagram post

She followed up her November tweets on December 1 saying; “Woah guys this may have worked. Next time you have a weirdo stare at your tits and your complaints falls on deaf ears, try tweeting about it.

“I didn’t even say where they worked so good on that workplace for immediately knowing it’s their shitness. Did they recognise my complaint because they already had it on file”.

On December 1 she also tweeted about being “body shamed” and not having her battles with endometriosis and adenomyosis taken seriously.

“What’s worse, body shaming a person that’s extremely fit by telling them they’re fat, or telling a person you don’t care if they’ve had 2 surgeries in a year and are probs infertile, they don’t deserve more help — let’s get a poll going”.

Swimming Australia released a statement to The Australian saying that they had reached out to Groves and also said they didn’t have “previous” complaints on file from the swimmer.

“Swimming Australia reached out to Maddie in December 2020 to enquire about a tweet sent by her that referenced potential abuse by someone connected with swimming, Maddie declined to provide further information nor do we have any previous complaints on record from Maddie,” the statement read.

“All allegations concerning child abuse or sexual misconduct are taken seriously by Swimming Australia. We consider the welfare, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as paramount, and we have a duty to make inquiries to uphold the standards of our sport.”

It is understood Swimming Australia officials also reached out to Groves again on Thursday seeking more information in order to begin an investigation.

In her first social media post announcing her withdrawal from the Olympic trials on Wednesday night Groves took a different tack, saying she would race again later in the year.

“I’m so grateful to feel so supported in this decision,” she wrote.

“I feel very relieved and I’m looking forward to racing at some other competitions later in the year (yeah sorry/not sorry, you haven’t got rid of me just yet!)

“I’m so excited to watch everyone at trials and to see who will be representing Australia in Tokyo — whatever happens I genuinely think this will be one of the fastest Australian Swim Teams ever and I encourage everyone to get on the bandwagon early.”

Groves has competed and trained with immense pain – because of adenomyosis and endometriosis – throughout her decorated swimming career.

Adenomyosis is a condition in which the inner lining of the uterus breaks through the muscle wall, while endometriosis is a more common disorder where tissue that usually lines the uterus grows outside the womb. The condition causes extreme pain.

“The pain of adenomyosis actually feels like you are being stabbed in the uterus and someone is very slowly twisting that knife. That’s literally what it feels like,” Groves said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Australian swimming trials begin on Saturday in Adelaide.