Court proceedings have taken place in the Blenheim District Court today (18 December 2023) where a gymnastics coach has pleaded guilty to serious sexual offending charges.

Gymnastics New Zealand continues to closely monitor this situation. Our primary concern remains the wellbeing of the victims of these awful crimes and ensuring that they and the club are receiving the support that they need.

This situation reinforces the importance of Gymnastic NZ’s work to ensure that child safeguarding remains the priority at all levels of the sport and across the national club network. It is a horrible reminder that all sports and recreational activities that involve children under adult supervision are vulnerable to child safeguarding issues, including issues of serious criminality. It can happen anywhere – and all people who work or volunteer in the sector need to be vigilant and alert to these threats.

Gymnastics NZ will continue to monitor developments in this matter and take any actions required to support the safety and wellbeing of our participants and members.