British Gymnastics: Amy Tinkler says she cried when she read email

Amy Tinkler was Great Britain's youngest medallist at Rio 2016

Olympic medallist Amy Tinkler has released emails showing a British Gymnastics coach referring to her weight.

Tinkler has previously accused the governing body of failing to give an explanation as to why her formal complaint against them was dismissed last month.

Tinkler, 20, submitted a complaint over allegations of mistreatment within the sport in December 2019.

On Wednesday she released a series of emails that also showed national coach Colin Still refer to her as "heavy" and saying he was relieved she wasn't "turning into a fat dwarf".

British Gymnastics said the emails were "very worrying".

The emails were sent after she had taken a break from the sport following the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Speaking about releasing the emails, Tinkler said: "My weight has been a sensitive issue with me since I was 13 years old, with the national coaches always mentioning it as a problem.

"It really hurt. Why would he say that? What's been said behind my back?

"It was the second email that really made me cry.

"I asked mum if I looked fat. So many thoughts went through my mind. He's the national coach but why would he say that? What have I done for him to be that mean to me?"

A British Gymnastics spokesperson said: "This is extremely worrying. A coach should not be speaking in this way about a gymnast. We have immediately begun an investigation into this matter.

"We have contacted Amy Tinkler to ask for the original emails from 2017 and other relevant information to aid that investigation. We have checked all available records and cannot find reference that we have previously had a complaint about these comments.

"Any gymnast who feels they have been mistreated can play their role in helping to change the sport for the better by reporting their concerns to our Integrity Unit at [e-mail] or, if they would prefer, by calling the BAC/NSPCC Helpline on 0800 056 0566."

Tinkler says she has emailed British Gymnastics three times "asking for an explanation or summary outcome" without reply and discovered "via a third party" on 10 August her complaint had been closed.

British Gymnastics has apologised and says it has offered to meet Tinkler.

Tinkler added: "Please know that I hate doing this in public, it's unfair on me and on the people I'm going to talk about, but I don't see that I've been given any other choice.

"What's the point in doing the right thing, following guidelines, to just be lied to, misled and dismissed? The top people at British Gymnastics haven't shown any empathy or desire to acknowledge change so it's time their behaviour is shared in public."

Tinkler, from County Durham, was Great Britain's youngest medallist at Rio 2016, when she won bronze aged 16, and also won one world medal, three European medals and 10 British titles during her career.

In July, British Gymnastics announced an independent review would take place and Allen has said the organisation had "fallen short" in protecting its members.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please visit the BBC Action Line homepage.

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