Abuse in swimming clubs – bringing a claim
This week, a new BBC Panorama investigation called ‘The Dark Side of Swimming Clubs’ reveals elite swimmers were left “broken” by the harsh regime run by one of the UK’s most successful swimming coaches, Jon Rudd.
Rūta Meilutytė, who won gold at the London 2012 Olympics, said Rudd’s focus on weighing and swimmers’ diets contributed to her struggle with an eating disorder and depression, in just one of several similar stories.
Rudd used to make cutting comments about her weight, Meilutytė said, recalling being told her “ass was fat” moments before a major competition, aged 16.
When she confided in him that she had been making herself sick after meals to lose weight, she said he laughed and replied: “Well, at least you get the calories out.”
In total 12 ex-swimmers told Panorama they had experienced bullying, a toxic training environment and controlling food culture at Plymouth Leander Swimming Club when Rudd was head coach, BBC News reported. One of these was Olympic bronze medallist Casie Patten, who said Rudd made her train with an injured shoulder which eventually ended her career in 2011.
Another was Commonwealth Youth gold medallist Phoebe Lenderyou, who told Panorama Rudd’s regime aggravated her eating disorder.
Panorama found Swim England, the governing body, did not act on a confidential 2012 investigation which ruled Rudd should be suspended after hearing evidence about his behaviour from 17 witnesses. His case was only reviewed after the BBC asked Swim England about it.
Abuse
These kind of coaching ‘techniques’ amount to emotional and psychological abuse.
In some circumstances such training regimes are also negligent, particularly if it can be shown that the relevant institution knew what was going on and did nothing.
Bringing a civil claim
It is possible to bring a civil claim in relation to this kind of abuse. Bolt Burdon Kemp has successfully brought civil claims in relation to abusive and negligent training regimes within British Gymnastics, which included body-shaming and other verbal abuse, and being forced to train on severe injuries.
There have also recently been successful claims against other institutions, such as the Royal Ballet School, arising from bullying and body-shaming by coaches and teachers.
Bolt Burdon Kemp is a leading firm in the area of abuse law and has many years’ experience bringing claims for all types of abuse against sporting bodies, including football clubs, gymnastics clubs and tennis clubs.
Compensation can be claimed for the psychiatric injuries caused by the abuse, including eating disorders. Survivors can also claim for any financial losses they may have sustained as a result, such as loss of earnings or therapy costs.
If you have experienced this kind of abuse in swimming or any other sport and are interested in exploring your legal options, please contact our team for free, non-judgmental and confidential advice.
