Dear all Members, Clubs, Coaches and Volunteers,

I am writing to you regarding the recent articles published in the national newspapers last week concerning bullying allegations made by a former member of the Great British judo squad against one of our current athletes and coaches.

The athlete’s accusations formed part of an independent investigation sourced externally back in 2021. Athletes and Coaches from across the programme were interviewed extensively as part of the procedure.

The investigation concluded in April 2021 and the report was considered by an independent disciplinary panel, which was approved and agreed by the UK Sport Integrity Unit. Whilst the allegations of bullying were not upheld, a number of recommendations were made by the panel and accepted as part of the process.

The review was conducted to the highest standards, and throughout the process, all parties concerned were provided with the necessary support and advice by the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA).

We were disappointed that the media have chosen to repeat unproven allegations against one of our athletes – who graciously accepted defeat against her opponent – during an important time for all members of the squad.

Since the publication of the reports, it has taken a significant toll on the mental health of both the athlete and coach, and we will be providing them with the necessary support for as long as it is required.

This week, the Austrian Judo Federation wrote to the Association to express their surprise at the news once again being reported on, and their regret at the development, whilst underlining that they “do not have any doubts about the integrity of the persons involved and that the investigations by an independent panel were done on the highest possible level.” Click here to read the full letter.

As a sport built on respect and integrity, I would like to reiterate that we, at British Judo, have a zero-tolerance stance on bullying and pride ourselves on providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members, from grassroots clubs to the National Training Centre, and following the results of the investigation, we have continued to support our athlete and coach.

If you have been affected by bullying of any form, support is available for all of our members through our Safeguarding team, who you can contact at safeguarding@britishjudo.org.uk

Yours in judo,

Andrew Scoular
Chief Executive, British Judo Association