Funding pulled from gymnastics body after staff row

Friday 7 September 2012

SCOTLAND’S national sports agency has withdrawn all public funding from the Scottish Gymnastics Association, saying it no longer has confidence in the governing body.

Sportscotland made the announcement after it published a damning report by Duncan Macniven, the former registrar general for Scotland, into the Stirling-based organisation.

Mr Macniven concluded major shortcomings in leadership exist after he was called in to investigate management’s handling of two disciplinary cases involving alleged conflicts of interest and breaches of child protection policy by staff.

A Sportscotland spokesman said: “The report, coupled with the persistent refusal of SGA [Scottish Gymnastics Association] to work in partnership with the national agency for sport, has left us with no choice but to withhold public investment from SGA. "Sportscotland no longer has any confidence in the current leadership of the governing body, and we will not sanction any public money going to SGA until full confidence is restored in the leadership and integrity of the organisation..” The row began after two senior members of staff were dismissed after being found guilty of gross misconduct earlier this year. It came after a gymnastics club complained to the association that an SGA staff member had been abusing his position by gaining assistance solely for his rival club to obtain a lease of Aberdeen College premises. An official had also been accused of breaching child protection policy in his voluntary work.The police were informed only after SGA suspended his membership – four months after the initial allegation and after he had been dismissed. The suspension was lifted two-and-half-months later. Both disciplined officers accused the chief executive of misconduct. Mr Macniven agreed with the pair, who claimed SGA management were determined to find them guilty of a disciplinary offence. He said in his report that the complaint over a conflict of interest by the two staff had “called into question the reputation of the SGA” Mr Macniven said: “The events which followed escalated until they threatened the stable running of the organisation. SGA management’s handling of the disciplinary cases which have been the main focus of my investigation was unsatisfactory, as events have clearly demonstrated.” But the SGA hit back. President Lynn Milne said: “We totally rebut the findings of this report and these unfounded allegations. This highly inaccurate report is an unfortunate distraction for a very successful governing body and an increasingly popular sport which contributes significantly to the wellbeing and fitness of Scotland and the agenda of the Scottish Government. “It is important to state that we have always worked in partnership with sportscotland and have a strong leadership team which has achieved independent recognition for its high governance standards. The organisation has an exemplary record on child protection and we take every step possible to ensure the safety of children. "Due to ongoing legal proceedings, including a police investigation of an individual who was reported to police by Scottish Gymnastics, we requested a delay to the preparation of the report until we were in a position to provide the necessary evidence. "We advised Stewart Harris, chief executive of sportscotland of this at the outset and on several occasions since and were initially assured that the report would not be completed until we were in a position to co-operate fully. Despite these assurances the report was completed without our evidence. Consequently, the findings were drawn from insufficient, incomplete and in some cases wholly incorrect information. “In relation to the comments on following our procedures, fortunately child protection concerns are rare, but if we do have to alert the police we are duty bound to suspend our normal procedures to avoid the risk of impacting on any police investigations.” Sports Minister Shona Robison said: “I have been kept fully informed on this matter and I have full confidence in Sportscotland to be able to deal with this effectively.”

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Funding pulled from gymnastics body after staff row

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