Seventeen-year-old Trinity de Lance and her mother, Ms. de Lance, are making serious rights violations within Gymnastics Australia (GA) public by sharing their story. This problem has its roots in a serious episode that affected Trinity when she was just 12 years old. During training, she experienced a serious back injury. As soon as she heard the news, she knew her repeated arching of her back had chipped a vertebra. This serious injury caused her great pain and made her, in her mother’s words, “unable to walk hardly at all.”
In 2021, the mother-daughter duo lodged a formal complaint against GA after a damning report by the Australian Human Rights Commission highlighted a “toxic” culture within gymnastics, characterized by physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. The report highlighted grave concerns about how athletes were treated, and how complaints were investigated—or not—in cases like Trinity’s.
In the wake of this incident, critics have panned the investigation into Trinity’s injury. They claim it did not uphold important FIG codes of conduct, including the FIG Code of Discipline, Code of Ethics, and Safeguarding Policy. The interview process failed to use a “trauma-informed approach” when interviewing the young athlete. This lapse damaged the investigation’s credibility.
Investigation Lacks Rigor
The resulting investigation into Trinity’s case has been criticized for its apparent lack of depth. The investigation failed to even interview the key witnesses and abandoned significant evidence. This continued negligence has led to serious concerns about the very integrity of the investigative process itself within GA.
Alison Quigley, the inquiry spokesperson, said important witnesses were not heard from. She further noted that critical evidence was never investigated and emphasized a failure to implement trauma-informed procedures.
She further elaborated on the failures of the investigation: “Rather than being an investigation — a meaningful engagement of both parties, and the presentation of evidence from both sides — this was just taking the coach’s word over the athlete without following any leads.”
This failed response highlights the systemic failure that has embittered the gymnastics landscape in Australia. Quigley said the impact goes beyond specific incidents. We’ve got to insure that children aren’t forced through punitive processes like this that simply fail to deliver,” she explained.
Ongoing Trauma and Lack of Accountability
For both Trinity de Lance and her mother, the last three years have been an emotional rollercoaster. Ms. de Lance explained what her experience has been like, stating, “This entire process is still an emotional trauma. It actually causes real nightmares. The emotional toll of navigating this situation has taken a toll on both mother and daughter, with lasting scars.
As recently as last month, they’ve been raising alarm about GA’s failure to follow up or ensure accountability in the wake of the incident. Ms. de Lance noted, in the past four years, nobody from GA has ever contacted them to see how Trinity’s doing. She mentioned how no one has offered an apology. She continued, “Nobody has ever paid any fines. The only people who have been hurt are the children in question.”
While recognizing jurisdictional problems in GA’s practices, Ms. de Lance contended that justice still was not served. We’ve already gotten jurisdictional recognition, she explained. Justice has yet to be served, because true justice requires a judgment and a sanction.
Implications for Gymnastics and Broader Sporting Community
Trinity de Lance’s case is not an anomaly. It is emblematic of greater systematic issues plaguing gymnastics in Australia. This report from the Australian Human Rights Commission has released some bombshells. Consequently, millions are calling for deep and systemic reform inside athletic institutions.
Quigley reflected on the importance of this case, saying, “This case has huge implications nationally for gymnastics. She underscored the fact that this is a preliminary landmark decision. Key witnesses and crucial evidence ignored, or it would violate longstanding codes of conduct.
As this situation unfolds, it sends a strong message to the broader Australian sporting community: national sports bodies must take responsibility for their practices. Quigley strongly advocated that when notified of a derelict process, entities should be unable to dodge accountability behind shoddy investigative practices.
She added that “It’s a message to the rest of the wider Australian sporting community that SIA’s approach has to be strong.
Trinity de Lance said she is disappointed over how law enforcement handled the investigation. In doing so, I put myself and others at risk of being re-traumatized. What should have brought us closure and justice instead evaporated any hope for them.
