We are pleased to announce the launch of the revamped Gymnastics NZ complaints policy, with the aim of streamlining the management of complaints and concerns within the gymnastics community.

A key project as part of the ‘Shaping the Future of Gymnastics in Aotearoa’ workplan, the new policy is based on feedback from the gymnastics community and is designed to help enable positive gymnastics experiences for everybody. The policy includes several new features that will make the complaints process easier to navigate for all parties involved.

The new policy also clarifies the distinction between a concern and a formal complaint, making the process easier to navigate for all parties. We have published a simple ‘tier’ system to provide a clear guide to how each issue will be managed.

One of the key features of the new policy is the introduction of an online form here on the website, which includes clear explanations, easy-to-follow guides, and flow charts to demystify the complaints process.

The revamped policy grants additional authority to the Sport Integrity Unit, enabling them to implement safeguarding measures while matters are under review, reinforcing the commitment to athlete welfare. They also have the power to issue sanctions in some situations.

A new back-end system has been implemented to track concerns and ensure transparent communication to all parties involved. This is in addition to the sanction flagging system rolled out last year. This upgrade will contribute to a more organised and accountable complaints resolution process.

The new policy represents a big shift for Gymnastics NZ, replacing the existing suite of policies, and we hope that it will help us address issues swiftly and effectively, avoiding some of the delays from the previous process.

See more at gymnasticsnz.com/safe-sport.