Public update on SIA WAG Report recommendations
PROGRESS UPDATE: Implementation of the SIA WAG Report Recommendations
On 20 April 2022 Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) released its Report of the review of historic allegations of athlete abuse and mistreatment in the Western Australian Institute of Sport Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Program which operated between 1988 and 2016.
Following the release of the Report, WAIS committed to undertaking actions under the recommendations, and provide publicly available six-monthly progress updates.
Information about WAIS’ actions in response to the SIA WAIS Women’s Gymnastics Program Report can be accessed on the WAIS website.
Overview
In the last six months, WAIS has worked closely with the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) to understand the Department’s oversight and audit expectations. WAIS and DLGSC meet monthly to discuss our progress and implementation of the recommendations.
The WAIS Steering Group continues to meet monthly and oversees the implementation of the actions under each recommendation.
Importantly, in May 2023 the Board renewed WAIS’ commitment, as stated in its strategic plan – Nurturing High Performance, that “above all, WAIS will act in the best interests of athlete health, wellbeing, and safety.”
Update on Recommendation 1: WAIS adopt the National Integrity Framework including the independent complaint handling process
• Action: WAIS will continue to work with SIA and other stakeholders to achieve the required policy alignment for recognition as a SIA NIF compliant organisation.
• Action: WAIS will adopt SIA as one of its independent complaint handling options once SIA has confirmed WAIS’ policy alignment with the NIF.
WAIS has participated in the consultation phase of the updated DRAFT SIA National Integrity Framework (NIF), which was released to the sector in late April 2023. An internal assessment is underway to review changes in the NIF policies and SIA complaint handling jurisdiction, alongside available solutions that will deliver the required policy and complaint handling framework. In the interim, WAIS has implemented a communications plan promoting the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Be Heard service to staff and athletes to complement existing WAIS grievance processes. Athletes also have access to the SIA independent complaints handling process through their sports.
Update on Recommendation 2: WAIS must ensure that all sport programs involving children are childfocused and age appropriate.
• Action: WAIS will seek an independent review of its current athlete management policies to identify any opportunities to further improve athlete empowerment – with a focus on empowering children and young people.
• Action: WAIS will undertake a review of parental engagement in its sport programs to identify any potential opportunities to further improve supporting policy and practice.
The scope for both reviews has been developed, with a decision by Steering Group to focus the review of WAIS athlete management policies on ‘empowering children and young people’ in recognition of the Report’s recommendations. WAIS is currently procuring an independent consultant to undertake both the review of the athlete management policies, and parent engagement. We expect the process to be completed in June 2023. Internal stakeholder engagement has begun and will continue throughout the course of the reviews.
• Action: WAIS will liaise with its various National and State Sport Organisation partners and the AIS Coach Development Team to develop and/or provide Inservice courses for coaches in the areas of child development and developmental psychology, in the sporting environment.
An audit completed by the AIS of existing national and international resources has confirmed that there is a need for a national education resource covering these areas. The AIS and SIA have formed a working group and committed financial and in-kind resources to develop a national course for coaching children in high-performance environments. WAIS has also committed financial resources and in-kind support to develop and pilot this course. In the interim WAIS Coach Development staff, have led a series of coach community of practice discussions focussed on raising awareness and understanding of topics specific to coaching children in high performance sport environments.
Update on Recommendation 3: WAIS should continue to embed athlete wellbeing into policies, procedures, and practices into all sport programs.
• Action: All WAIS Performance Enhancement Division staff will be inducted and trained on the Disordered Eating Early Identification and Prevention Policy by 30 June 2022.
Staff education was conducted in June 2022. An independent audit has now been completed by PricewaterhouseCoopers confirming this action was completed. As part of continuous learning, WAIS delivered staff and external local coaches an in-depth course on Eating Disorders in Sport to develop an increased awareness and advanced understanding of this topic. All WAIS staff completed their annual Safe and Ethical Practice Policy education refresher requirements in January and February of this year. WAIS has procured and is implementing an eLearning platform to enhance athlete education of WAIS policies focussed on providing a safe, inclusive and rewarding high performance sport experience. The platform will be launched in late 2023.
Update on Recommendation 4: WAIS, in collaboration with the impacted Gymnasts, engage in a restorative and reconciliatory process.
• Action: WAIS will liaise with impacted gymnasts to develop and engage in an agreed restorative and reconciliatory process.
The Department of Justice continues to support DLGSC, WAIS and Gymnastics Alliance Australia in the restorative and reconciliatory process. In May 2023, the WAIS Board issued an updated apology to participants of the WAIS Women’s Artistic Gymnastics program who suffered abuse and harm and a board commitment statement to affected gymnasts. This can be accessed on the WAIS website.
Additional areas of action supporting athlete care and wellbeing:
WAIS is committed to meaningful change and continuous improvement that supports athlete care and wellbeing.
• WAIS has confirmed its inclusion under the National Redress Scheme. The Scheme provides support to people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse.
• WAIS is conducting an internal self-assessment on the 10 National Principles for Child Safe Organisations to help us improve and maintain a child-safe environment.
• WAIS Staff continue to upskill across a range of sport integrity and athlete care matters such as: the SIA National Integrity Framework, disordered eating, female athlete health, sport-related concussion, gender diverse inclusion in high performance sport, and the 10 National Principles to Child Safe Organisations.