# Warned coach selected for international junior competition

> English Gymnastics has chosen a coach under formal warning to compete at an international youth event, drawing criticism from those who reported concerns.
- Title: Warned coach selected for international junior competition
- Summary: English Gymnastics has chosen a coach under formal warning to compete at an international youth event, drawing criticism from those who reported concerns.
- Keywords: clare hague, dronfield gymnastics academy, english gymnastics, british gymnastics, horizon cup, fear-based coaching, safeguarding, gymnasts for change, whyte review, BBC News
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/articles/c6gm0r08d1elo
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: clare hague, dronfield gymnastics academy, english gymnastics, british gymnastics, horizon cup, fear-based coaching, safeguarding, gymnasts for change, whyte review, sports
## Coach under warning selected for international event
Clare Hague, head coach at Dronfield Gymnastics Academy near Sheffield, has travelled with English Gymnastics to coach at the Horizon Cup in Greece this weekend.
## Hague received formal warning from British Gymnastics
British Gymnastics issued Hague and Dronfield Gymnastics Academy a formal warning lasting two years following an investigation that upheld a number of concerns raised against them.
## Investigation examined fear-based coaching practices
Documents seen by BBC Sport list fear-based coaching and emotional harm, controlling and restrictive practices, punitive attendance policies and psychological impact on children as concerns considered in the investigation.
## Complainants say decision undermines their courage
Complainants from two separate investigations told the BBC the decision is a "smack in the teeth" and "adds salt in the wound" for those who spoke up about their concerns.

> smack in the teeth
## Allegations included toilet access restrictions
One complainant alleged gymnasts at Dronfield regularly felt afraid to ask to go to the toilet, resulting in some wetting themselves and others choosing not to drink during sessions.
## Complainant questions whether speaking up matters
"My daughter had the courage to say something to try and protect the next child.

> My daughter had the courage to say something to try and protect the next child. I don't want the lesson she walks away with from this to be that there's no point in speaking up because nothing happens.
## Campaign group questions repeated retraining approach
Claire Heafford, chief executive of Gymnasts for Change, told BBC Sport that coaches with multiple complaints over years should face adequate sanctions rather than retraining to remove them from the sport.
## Parents have no way to check coach history
Heafford said British Gymnastics publishes names of banned coaches but not those with sanctions, leaving parents unable to know if their child's coach has previous complaints against them.

> If you're the parent of an athlete at the moment, you have no way of knowing whether the coach coaching your child has had previous complaints or sanctions against them.
## British Gymnastics defends its safeguarding approach
British Gymnastics stated it treats every concern fairly and thoroughly, and would remove anyone considered a risk from the sport. It said it has heard positive reports from members about Dronfield.

> We can be categoric that if we considered a member to be a risk they would be removed from our sport.
## Key takeaway

Clare Hague, a gymnastics coach issued a formal warning by British Gymnastics following an investigation into fear-based coaching and controlling practices, has been selected by English Gymnastics to coach at the Horizon Cup in Greece.