Investigations into claims of abuse by New Zealand gymnasts will extend into next year.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Current and former gymnasts have spoken out about their experiences of verbal and physical abuse inflicted by coaches, judges and administrators earlier this year in what has been described as a culture of abuse in the sport.
Athletes and their advocates had called on the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to bring their expertise to any review of the sport as had happened in Australia.
Gymnastics New Zealand, Sport New Zealand, the gymnasts and the Human Rights Commission are in the process of finding a way to work together to investigate the claims, athlete advocate Roger Mortimer said.
"The integration of human rights is new a process for the parties involved, so the Human Rights Commission are performing a central role for everyone involved."
David Howman Photo: Photosport
Any review involving the HRC could be separate to the independent review into GNZ being led by David Howman.
Howman's review was originally set down for eight weeks but received a one month extension and is expected to be completed by mid-November and the findings made public.
As part of the review, Howman's panel - which included former Silver Ferns captain and qualified physiotherapist Dr Lesley Nicol and former international gymnast and current human behaviour and high performance coach Rachel Vickery - had "unfettered access" to GNZ and reviewed policies, procedures and remedies concerning complaints, both past and present.
When the independent review was announced in August, athletes criticised the terms of the review and also the panel who they believed could not address the long-standing and wide-ranging issues it needed to.
Dozens of directly effected gymnasts and coaches did not take part in the Howman review over concerns about how it was administered.
