. .
Unfortunately, having been the pride of Australian Olympic sport, the Hockeyroos are divided among themselves, Hockey Australia President Mel Woosnam said Friday when she spoke for the first time after a hot week of escalating claims about a longstanding toxic culture in the women’s sporting industry.
Woosnam said several players came forward after a meeting between the Hockeyroos and four HA board members in Perth on Tuesday.
« Two were utterly heartbroken with tears, » she said. « They told us about bullying and victimization within the group. They also made great apologies for the behavior of their teammates.
« Initial allegations indicated that there may have been bullying against players by staff and management. Over the past week it has been apparent that there is significant bullying between players.
« It is obvious that there is a gap within this group. A number of athletes and families have reached out to HA recently with their support. They really want to tell our side of the story, which has been difficult even though the media has received negative attention. «
The hockeyroos’ problems can be traced back to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where they finished sixth, their worst result at the Olympics. Then the contract of coach Adam Commens was not renewed and he was replaced by Paul Gaudoin. After further unrest became public in 2018, a new coaching setup was installed to support Gaudoin and more support staff.
But even more bad blood came to light this week when former captain Georgina Morgan and reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Rachael Lynch were removed from the roster for next year’s Tokyo Olympics, causing a flurry of allegations topical as well as former player on dysfunction in the EU triggered sport and the risk of a strike.
HA chose not to argue about the media and called a meeting with players. « Some fairly confrontational issues were raised during the meeting, » said Woosnam. « But we agreed to draw a line in the sand. We cannot change the past. We can only learn from it. We agreed to focus on the future and work together to find a solution.
« I was honestly optimistic and positive when we left the room. It was therefore extremely disappointing that within three hours the media misinterpreted and skewed it to only care about sponsorship.
« We simply said that recent events and media coverage are damaging our sport. It has a significant reputational impact. It is a fact. It’s not a threat. I am not blaming the athletes. «
Woosnam denied that players had been forced to sign the athletes’ agreements as they were merely employment contracts. « It’s a neat process. They are necessary to trigger the basic payments from the AIS, « she said. « It’s a procedural matter, it’s that simple. «
On Thursday, HA announced an independent investigation into the Hockeyroos program to be conducted by Richard Redman of AIS and Ernst and Young partner Adam Carrel. It is done in two parts. Interviews with current players and staff will be completed by next Friday, and Woosnam said that if the agents recommend immediate action, it will be taken.
A final report is expected by February. Woosnam said its key findings and recommendations would be made public, but not the full report. She said it was « inappropriate » to expose potentially sensitive individual contributions.
« We really want to get to the bottom of this, » she said. « It is really disappointing that some current and former players have chosen to play this in the media and bypass the due process, but we are committed to the investigation as a point of reference for what goes on in the program. «
Woosnam said the circumstantial evidence was that the program was not irrevocably flawed. « This team cannot be supported by No.. 6 to Rio according to No.. 2 in the world with no positive influences and results in the program, « she said.
Toni Cumpston is the high-performance director for both the women’s team and the men’s team, the Kookaburras, who are considered a role model for professionalism. « Our employees sit in both programs, » said Woosnman. « How is it that between the two programs we have these completely different cultural and behavioral issues in one program and not in the other? This is what we need to get to the bottom of. «
Australian women’s national field hockey team, Rachael Lynch, Olympic Summer Games 2020, Paul Gaudoin, Georgina Morgan
World news – AU – ‘In tears, heartbroken’: Hockeyroos as dirty laundry disturbs air
Ref: https://www.smh.com.au
