The claims of Ellie and Becky Downie have backed up accusations from several other British Olympic gymnasts, including Francesca Fox and Lisa Mason. My coach put me on the bars until my hands ripped and bled вЂ“ Lisa Mason However, they called for more significant change, to ensure zero tolerance for abusive training in British gymnastics: вЂњWhile exact experiences obviously varyвЂ¦ for too long, the health and wellbeing of young girls has been of secondary importance to a dated, cruel, and вЂ“ weвЂ™d argue вЂ“ often ineffective culture within womenвЂ™s gymnastics training.вЂќ In their statement, they recognised that some positive changes were beginning to be made, observing that they had not been routinely weighed since 2018. However, recollecting attempting to speak up about her training at a national camp in 2018, Becky said: вЂњI was shot down, called вЂmentally weakвЂ™, and told the injury pain levels I was experiencing were in my head.вЂќ The Downie sisters explained that they had only begun to understand the impact of their abusive training вЂњin recent yearsвЂќ, at which point they attempted to speak up. вЂњAt one time at this age, again after being told I was too heavyвЂќ she said, вЂњI was told by a nutritionist to provide food diaries of everything that entered my mouth and send daily pictures of me in my underwear to ensure I wasnвЂ™t lying.вЂќ I was told by a nutritionist to provide food diaries of everything вЂ“ Ellie DownieД®llie described feeling shame about her weight and said she had been told to diet consistently, since the age of 14. Her recollections of abusive coaching have been echoed by her sister, Ellie, who recalled a coach saying that she вЂњhoped the painkillers was holding for an injury were diet pills.вЂќ Gruelling over-training and restrictive diets drove her вЂњto the point of physical breakdownвЂќ. Both highlighted that the young age at which they were subjected to both physical and mental abuse ensured that they вЂњcertainly didnвЂ™t realise how wrong it was at the time.вЂќД«ecky Downie stressed that the toll the abuse took on her body was physical, as well as mental. The Downie sisters described constant pressure regarding their weight and dedication, calling Team GB training вЂњan environment of fear and mental abuseвЂќ. The sisters, who are viewed as Team GBвЂ™s strongest contenders for medals at the Tokyo Olympics, have joined a growing number of British gymnasts speaking out against maltreatment in the sport. Abuse in Team GB gymnastics has become вЂњcompletely normalisedвЂќ say world championship medallists, Ellie and Becky Downie.

Becky and ellie downie