A further 20 gymnasts have joined a group-claim lawsuit
against British Gymnastics alleging a range of abusive behavior,
The Telegraph reported.
اضافة اعلان
Last month, a group of 17 former gymnasts served a 'Letter
of Claim' on the national governing body, alleging physical and psychological
abuse from coaches.
The allegations in the lawsuit include "inappropriate
use of physical force by coaches against gymnasts constituting physical
assault".
The Telegraph said British Gymnastics had asked for an
extension until December 19 to respond
to the letter's claims after failing to respond by March 25.
The report added that litigation firm Hausfeld and Co LLP,
who are representing the former gymnasts, had granted British Gymnastics an
extension to June 19.
"We're disappointed but not surprised that British
Gymnastics have failed to meet the reasonable deadline we set," Claire
Heafford, one of the claimants who last year helped to set up the campaign
group 'Gymnasts for Change', was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
"Every day that they delay, former gymnasts are denied
the justice they so richly deserve - and current gymnasts are at risk of
similar serious harms."
Reuters has requested comment from British Gymnastics.
An independent review, led by Anne Whyte QC, was set up by
UK Sport and Sport England in August to investigate the allegations and make
recommendations to those bodies and British Gymnastics.
After the allegations were initially made public last year,
British Gymnastics chief executive Jane Allen retired from her role.
British Gymnastics had said after receiving the letter of
claim that it would "not be appropriate or fair to all parties" to
make any comment until they had the opportunity for it to be fully considered.
The governing body had previously said it was fully
supportive of the Whyte Review and would be prepared to act on its
recommendations.
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