How ITV News led the way in breaking stories of claims of emotional abuse and bullying in British Gymnastics
ITV News has led the way in exposing a catalogue of allegations of physical and mental abuse and bullying across British Gymnastics.
Here's a breakdown of the stories we have brought into the open and the timeline of events.
July 6 – ITV News Exclusive ‘Beaten and Starved’ stuns the sport. Gymnast Catherine Lyons and Olympian Lisa Mason reveal shocking mental and physical abuse that would spark a torrent of athletes speaking out.
July 7 – British Gymnastics launch QC-led review in wake of the allegations
July 7 – ITV News leads its major bulletins once again with more exclusive interviews. 2012 Olympian Francesca Fox tells of her fat-shaming and eight-year-old Paige Southern-Reason claims she was left hanging from a horizontal bar with her pain and tears ignored
July 8 – Louis Smith, who won Britain’s first individual Olympic medal for a century, speaks out about the “culture of fear” within British Gymnastics
July 9 – Cartoon Network becomes first official partner to break ties with British Gymnastics
July 9 – Becky and Ellie Downie say abusive behaviour “ingrained” in their daily lives
July 10 – Gymnasts call for British Gymnastics CEO Jane Allen to stand down
July 10 – Jane Allen says she is “appalled and ashamed” by allegations in letter to members, refuses to apologise to gymnasts
July 10 – BAC chairperson questions independence of review
July 11 – Gymnast tells ITV she “begged” her coach to stop
July 13 – Gymnasts tell ITV News GB trampoline head coach Craig Lowther put them through “daily humiliation”
July 14 – Rio Olympic medalist Amy Tinkler reveals she made a formal complaint in December 2019 and quit the sport because of “negative experiences”
July 16 – Olympian Beth Tweddle says there’s no place for bullying or abuse in “the sport I love”
July 16 – UK Sport and Sport England take over from British Gymnastics to lead inquiry
July 18 – Ireland’s first Olympic female gymnast Ellis O’Reilly reveals shocking treatment training in London
July 20 – British Athletes Commission and NSPCC launch confidential helpline for gymnasts
July 22 – ITV News brings together gymnasts from Athlete A film and those now inspired to speak out
July 30 – Former employees tell ITV News Jane Allen “fostered a culture of fear”
Aug 7 – ITV News reveals Jane Allen steps down from her UK Sport roles but remains in charge of British Gymnastics
Aug 7 – Coach Claire Barbieri suspended
Aug 10 – Olympian Nile Wilson tells BBC gymnasts are ‘treated like pieces of meat’
Aug 14 – Jane Allen writes op-ed in Telegraph – refuses to speak to ITV News.
Aug 18 – Former World Champion says he attempted to take his own life
Aug 23 – Simone Biles’ former coach urges British gymnasts to continue speaking up
Aug 24 – ITV News reveals GB Women’s head coach Amanda Reddin is under investigation
Aug 25 – Whyte Review begins with call for evidence
Aug 25 – Amy Tinkler reveals Amanda Reddin is part of her complaint
Aug 26 – Amanda Reddin “temporarily steps aside”
Aug 27 – Hundreds of calls made to gymnastics abuse helpline
Sept 4 – Coaches Roy Weavers and Helen Potter suspended
Sept 7 – ITV reveals that four Olympians are among gymnasts launching legal action against British Gymnastics
Sept 9 – Anger after ITV breaks the news that Ellie Downie’s weight-shaming complaint “not upheld”
Sept 13 – Four key staff members suspended at Olympian’s former club
Sept 16 – Amy Tinkler accuses Jane Allen of “hanging gymnasts out to dry”
Sept 28 – Tinkler claims British Gymnastics lied
Sept 29 – ITV News reveals abusive coaches are free to set up in another country after being sanctioned
Sept 30 – Emails reveal top British coach Colin Still used the term “fat dwarf” in email to Amy Tinkler
Oct 1 – World Athletics president Seb Coe tells ITV News it shouldn’t be that hard for British Gymnastics to apologise to victims
Oct 10 – Amy Tinkler gives first TV interview to ITV News
Oct 13 – Jane Allen announces retirement