Swimmer Maddie Groves has met with senior Swimming Australia (SA) officials in Brisbane to discuss her allegations of “misogynistic perverts” and abuse in the sport.
Key points:
- In a statement sent out after the meeting Swimming Australia (SA) said they “did not receive any information from new complainants”
- SA has also committed to an independent, all female panel to investigate the culture of the sport.
- Fellow Australian swimmer Sally Hunter told The Ticket that sports need to realise “they might have done things wrong” in the past and “it’s time for change”
The allegations were made on social media while announcing she would not compete at the Olympic selection trials earlier this month.
SA president Kieren Perkins and chief executive Alex Baumann agreed to meet Groves, accompanied by her lawyer, Tim Fuller, to hear the full extent of her grievances.
In a statement released after the meeting Swimming Australia said:
“Our aim today was to understand the concerns raised and today’s meeting was productive,” the statement read.
“Swimming Australia did not receive any information from new complainants.”
Swimming Australia has committed to an independent, all-female panel to investigate the culture of the sport. The chair of that panel was expected to be named today.
That has been delayed as the Groves meeting took priority.
Other swimmers who have offered support to Groves include former Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer Sally Hunter.
Hunter told The Ticket last week that the recent media coverage has meant “the conversation has sort of started again” referring to her own historical experiences.
“Sports are going to have to start realising they might have done things wrong in the past and it’s time for change,” she said.
“Like actually standing up and saying ‘We accept we made a mistake, or we know that things have happened in the past and that’s not going to happen again, and we’re going to go forward and look after our women in sport and our athletes’.”
