INDIVIDUAL coaches who fail in their duty of care to athletes will be stripped of funding, UK Sport has announced.
The threat was contained in a statement written by Liz Nicholl, the chief executive of the funding agency, yesterday in response to the recent abuse, bullying and discrimination scandals in British sport.
After noting that a “light has been shone on some wholly inappropriate and unacceptable behaviours”, Nicholl listed the measures UK Sport has taken and is planning to take to make sure they do not happen again.
Having mentioned the “culture health checks” and new human resources policies it is championing, Nicholl explained that UK Sport’s funding agreements with sports will be “aligned” with Sport England’s new governance code and the “key findings” of Baroness Grey-Thompson’s 2016 duty of care review.
“These funding agreements enable application of our eligibility policy to athlete support personnel,” wrote Nicholl.
According to that policy, athletes or support personnel who are guilty of misconduct or bringing themselves, their sport, the National Lottery or UK Sport into disrepute, will not be eligible for funding.
Nicholl’s statement comes on the same day the former head coach of the British para-swimming team defended himself against claims he bullied athletes.
Those claims were supported by an independent investigation, but Rob Greenwood told newspapers of his “severe disappointment” in the findings.
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