“The MGSS team is pleased to work with GymCan on this important engagement,” said Professor Richard McLaren, O.C., CEO of MGSS. “The sport of gymnastics globally has been facing intense scrutiny and the same is true here in Canada. We will be reviewing the findings from international reports and engaging the voices of athletes and other members of the GymCan community. We believe it is critical that Gymnastics Canada, member organizations, and athlete leaders fully understand the culture of gymnastics in Canada at both grassroots and high-performance levels in order to address and prevent the issues raised by athletes and others.”
The consultation process in developing the Culture Review Roadmap will engage athletes and alumni at various levels as well as national, provincial and territorial leaders, coaches, parents, and others to identify key issues, objectives, and opportunities for how a culture review of gymnastics in Canada should be coordinated and implemented. “It is imperative that Gymnastics Canada gets this right which is why we believe engaging the GymCan community will inform a best-in-class culture review and ideally foster trust in the process,” added Prof. McLaren.
“This partnership with MGSS is the culmination of several discussions over the past year with our Board and community leaders on a holistic and sustainable way forward for the gymnastics community. Notwithstanding our many efforts over the years to proactively address maltreatment, we strive to do better. We believe the Culture Review Roadmap will give us the clarity we need to make the necessary changes in our system and to forge higher levels of trust. As dedicated leaders who believe in providing a safe and welcoming environment for participants, we are grateful that MGSS, who is a global leader in providing trusted independent reviews, has agreed to support the gymnastics community in this way. We have asked MGSS to publicly share the final report in a manner that protects the identities of the participants and that outlines the insights and recommendations that will support our adoption of the new Abuse Free Sport program in the near future,” shared GymCan CEO, Ian Moss.
In addition, the MGSS team will conduct a Safe Sport Policy Review including a comprehensive analysis of current national safe sport policies and procedures, by-laws, rules and regulations, reporting procedures, case management procedures, codes of conduct, employment agreements, and educational requirements.
Professor McLaren and his team are well-positioned to take on this mandate with unparalleled experience in examining ethical issues in sport, both in Canada and internationally. MGSS published a 414-page report on Independent Approaches to Administer the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport in Canada – used to inform the National Independent Mechanism to report abuse in amateur sport (recently renamed Abuse-Free Sport). Other Canadian sport clients MGSS has consulted with include Canada Soccer, Own The Podium, Alpine Canada, Table Tennis Canada, USPORTS, and the Canadian Football League. Internationally, MGSS has recently completed complex investigations for international federations in Basketball (FIBA), Boxing (IBA), and Weightlifting (IWF). The final report is expected in January 2023.
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About McLaren Global Sport Solutions Inc.:
Founded in 2014, MGSS helps sports organizations, at all levels, build effective and strong management structures that are based on robust governance and ethical frameworks. MGSS is an expert in building customized arbitration and adjudication services as well as developing processes to reduce risks and creating ways of working that prioritize ethical behaviour. Visit our website at McLaren Global Sport Solutions – Home .
About Gymnastics Canada:
First established in 1969, Gymnastics Canada has been supporting the mastery of movement in Canada for five decades as the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada. We work closely with the twelve provincial federations and 700 local clubs to provide a broad range of programs and services to meet the needs of all participants. From athlete development to coach and judge education, Gymnastics Canada sets the operating standards and practices for the sport in Canada. Our mandate is to promote and provide positive and diverse gymnastics experiences through the delivery of quality and safe gymnastics programming. Visit www.gymcan.org for more information or follow us @gymcan1. From here, we soar.
For more information, please contact:
For MGSS: For Gymnastics Canada:
Catherine Doyle Ian Moss
Avenue Strategic Communications CEO, Gymnastics Canada
Tel: 514-641-3266 Tel: 613-762-0675
Email: catherine.doyle@communicationsavenue.com imoss@gymcan.org