WATER SPORTS - The duty of care scandal engulfing Olympic and Paralympic sport has plunged to a new low as British Swimming admitted disabled swimmers, including vulnerable teenagers, were subjected to a “climate of fear” while training for Rio 2016.
The former head coach of British Para-Swimming, Rob Greenwood, has left his post and the governing body took the rare step of publicly apologising to athletes he was found to have verbally abused and used discriminatory language about, as well as their families.
The Guardian understands the situation was deemed so serious that a group of affected athletes, which includes Paralympic champions, were offered complimentary psychotherapy sessions if they required help coping with the trauma of the abuse and subsequent investigations.
The performance director, Chris Furber, has also faced internal disciplinary action although this is in regard to management failings and a “lack of empathy” towards athletes. He is not accused of abuse or discrimination.
A source close to the investigation said that in terms of scale it was the most grave of a growing list of athlete-welfare scandals and again calls into question the no-compromise model which dictates Olympic and Paralympic sport in the UK. “In terms of seriousness on a scale of 0-10 I would put it at an eight or nine,” said the source. “You have people with varying disabilities, from learning difficulties through to visual impairments, and it has affected people who are both under 18 and adults who came forward in confidence – in double figures.
