Bombshell WA Institute of Sport review lifts lid on athletes being body shamed, overtrained and bullied

Athletes at the West Australian Institute of Sport say they have been shamed because of their weight, are overtrained or are “uncomfortable” around staff members, a bombshell report has revealed. The State Government-led review into the organisation – which made 30 recommendations and was tabled in State Parliament on Thursday – also stated 14 per cent of surveyed athletes had been bullied during their time in the program, with some feeling “unsafe.” WAIS chief executive Matt Fulton – who was brought in one year ago amid a complete overhaul of the institute’s board and management – has supported every recommendation and is adamant a number of changes were already underway. The KPMG probe was commissioned on the back of a 2022 report that found young gymnasts were emotionally and physically abused at WAIS between 1987 and 2016 and prompted a major payout to impacted athletes. The latest report, the Athlete Safeguarding Governance and Cultural Review of WAIS, covered a total of 13 sports including athletics, water polo, netball, rowing, swimming, diving, women’s basketball, cycling, hockey, sailing, wheelchair basketball, canoeing and individual programs. Of 77 athletes and family members surveyed, 31 per cent said they were forced to overtrain, 26 per cent reported feeling body/weight shamed, 26 per cent felt uncomfortable around a WAIS staff member and 14 per cent felt bullied. The report – which was limited to the past five years and saw a total of 251 people interviewed – also stated the organisation had a culture of “emphasising the prioritisation of winning, medals and performance” had been fostered that “overshadowed the critical importance of athlete safeguarding.” It stated while a number reported “having positive experiences” in the program, it also revealed “some also shared there were times where some athletes felt unsafe.” The WAIS management and board have been completely overhauled over the past year, with Fulton taking over from long-time chief executive Steve Lawrence in September 2023 after 22 years in the role. Nine of 10 directors also stepped aside in the same month, with only ex-officio member Jennifer McGrath, a Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries deputy director general, left from the original board, now chaired by businessman Dr Neale Fong. The West Australian also revealed in October 2023 up to 25 of the institute’s 60 staff had departed over the previous two years, some leaving full-time jobs to accept part-time opportunities. Among the key findings and recommendations, the report called on WAIS to strengthen complaint management policies and improve reporting culture, establish a consistent approach to holding athletes and staff accountable for unsafe behaviours or poor conduct and ensure safeguarding was an integral part of its strategic agenda. It also stated the organisation should promote its athletes rights and consider the diverse needs of athletes and the WAIS community. Fulton told The West Australian the organisation “supported all 30 recommendations” and “a fair component” of a recent $20.8 million State Government grant would be directed to address these recommendations”. “We have already actioned a lot of the recommendations, we didn’t just sit around waiting for the report,” he said. “Yes, it’s uncomfortable and some parts are not easy to read. But what an opportunity it gives us as an organisation to further embed the wellbeing of our athletes.” Dr Fong said the review was “critical’ in shaping the future of the organisation. “While many findings were not unexpected, they serve as a clear message that there is significant work to be done,” Dr Fong said. Fulton acknowledged the organisation had managed complaints “poorly” in the past and that it “lacked structure, process and accountability”. He said WAIS had launched a new complaint management system. “The path now for is to win well, so the well component is as important as the winning,” he said. A previous Sports Integrity Report released two years ago – that prompted the State Government to call for the latest investigation – found young gymnasts had been abused at WAIS over three decades from 1987. Allegations of mistreatment by participants in other WAIS sports programs had also been made at the time of the SIA report. One player, Lachlan Vos, claims he was bullied out of a scholarship program when he was competing in water polo — including at world championship level – between 2016 and 2019. “WAIS destroys athletes — it doesn’t build them,” the now 24-year-old’s father Paul Vos told The West. “It’s been going on for years. “Things need to be brought to a head for the safety of the kids.” SIA looked at allegations of physical and emotional abuse by 57 former athletes in the elite gymnastics program. WAIS accepted four recommendations, including a “restorative” process with affected gymnasts, then issued a fresh apology more than a year later after admitting its first apology fell short. The WA Government has since offered “acknowledgement payments” of $15,000 to former WAIS gymnasts who suffered harm and agreed to fund counselling sessions. Former WAIS gymnasts Julia Murcia, Nikki Chung, Georgia Simpson, Jen Smith, Ann-Maree Vallence and Zoe Thair received an apology from Sports Minister David Templeman in State Parliament last year. Fulton said WAIS had already taken significant steps to address the recommendations, including an increased focus on athlete care through areas such as performance psychology and dietetics, adopting a national behaviour and code of conduct framework and supporting the nationwide “Win Well Philosophy”. The institute has also established an integrity and safeguarding sub-committee, chaired by former WA Police deputy commissioner Gary Driebergs and requiring all staff to undertake education courses through SIA. Dr Fong said WAIS was committed to a culture that “prioritises not only athletic success but also the well-being and development of our athletes beyond the field of play”. “I’m proud of the progress WAIS has made over recent times, however, as in sport, a constant cycle of planning, delivering and reviewing is paramount to continuous improvement and success,” he said. Sports Minister David Templeman told The West Australian last September five years was “an appropriate duration” to conduct the review to “capture the recent and current governance and culture, in a thorough way but within a manageable period that enables the process to be completed in a timely manner”. The 251 stakeholders who were surveyed and interviewed as part of the latest culture report included 18 family members of current and former athletes, 51 current and former WAIS coaches and support staff, 14 current and former WAIS staff, 18 current and former members of the WAIS management and senior leadership and 14 current and former members of the WAIS board. The new WAIS board currently comprises Dr Fong, McGrath, Dreibergs, WA Treasury Corporation chief executive Kaylene Gulich, psychologist Peta Slocombe, ex-Department of Premier and Cabinet head Darren Foster and Hockey WA chief executive Fabian Ross, Olympic gold medal sailor and head of Paralympics Australia performance strategy Elice Rechichi, as well as author, former journalist and executive government adviser Colleen Egan.