Anna Gordon, a former Scottish pole-vaulting champion, actively fought to make athletics safer for athletes across the UK. Her journey to fight for athletes’ safety, began in 2013 when she accused her coach of sexual abuse.
Although the court found the coach not guilty, Scottish Athletics failed to investigate internally. The case resurfaced during a UK-wide welfare review, prompting British Athletics to act. They banned the coach and issued apologies alongside Scottish Athletics. They revoked the coach’s honorary lifelong membership, admitting their failure to support complainants.
How old was Anna Gordon, when she started championing for the reforms?
Anna Gordon was only 16 when she made her complaint. Despite facing backlash from peers and parents, she persisted, becoming a voice for change in athlete welfare.
“It was a big thing to rock the boat, so when I did rock the boat, it resulted in quite a lot of fallout,” she told BBC
Her experiences emphasized the need for better support systems in the athletics, where fear and of retaliation often silences victims.
Her advocacy has led to significant reforms. Procedures now better support athletes who raise abuse claims. Anna hopes her efforts will inspire others to speak up without fear of retaliation.
Anna Gordon also, emphasizes the importance of objective selection processes to ensure athletes feel safe while reporting abuse.
Her efforts and courage have paved the way for a safer environment in athletics, ensuring that no athlete endures what she faced.
She, however, continues to advocate for change, encouraging others to join her in fighting for improvement of sports welfare across the sport world.
Some of her work includes initiatives like signpost to safety, which are designed to bridge gap between athletes and welfare officers.
Her fight for athletes’ safety has inspired a movement, pushing for a zero-tolerance approach to misconduct in coaching.
Anna looks forward to a safer and more supportive community for athletes.
Summary.
Anna Gordon a former Scottish pole-vaulting Champion, courageously accused her coach of sexual abuse in 2013, despite heavy backlash and isolation.
Her advocacy led to ban for the coach and improved support systems for athletes reporting abuse.
