Sport
Olympic Swimmer Maddie Groves Pulls Out Of Trials Over Misogyny
Australian swimmer Maddie Groves has withdrawn from Tokyo Olympic trials due to what she calls, “misogynistic perverts”.
In a post to Twitter, Groves cited, “all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers” as the reason for her exit.
“You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time’s UP.” She added.
Let this be a lesson to all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers – You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time’s UP https://t.co/XMQCRPjNzK
— Maddie Groves (@MaddieGroves_) June 9, 2021
On Instagram Groves said she felt “relieved” but added that she looked forward to “other competitions later in the year.”
View this post on Instagram
This is not the first time that Groves has called out inappropriate or sexist behaviour in the sport. In November 2020 she tweeted that a person she complained about for making her uncomfortable, had since received a promotion.
Can I just say, that I definitely made a complaint a few years ago about a person that works at swimming making me feel uncomfortable the way they stare at me in my togs, and I think they’ve possibly been given a promotion since
— Maddie Groves (@MaddieGroves_) November 30, 2020
In a statement included in Reuters, Swimming Australia said it had “reached out to Maddie in December 2020″ but that she “declined to provide further information”.
“All allegations concerning child abuse or sexual misconduct are taken seriously by Swimming Australia. We consider the welfare, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as paramount, and we have a duty to make inquires to uphold the standards of our sport.”
Groves previously won two silver medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics for the 200m butterfully and 4x100m medley.
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