Law Firm’s Sports Team Advising Amy Tinkler

Great Britain’s youngest medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Amy Tinkler, has appointed law firm Irwin Mitchell to handle her complaint against British Gymnastics.

Tinkler, now 20, says she had no option but to quit gymnastics less than four years after winning her medal and says her “experiences as a club and elite gymnast” led her to announce her retirement in January.

Amy is the latest elite or former elite GB gymnast to criticise the bullying and abuse culture in the sport following the statement issued by the Downie sisters, Becky and Ellie, last week.

It had been assumed that Tinkler, who won her Olympic medal at 16, had retired due to injury after undergoing three ankle surgeries in the wake of her success in Rio.

In her statement however, Amy said: “I submitted a formal complaint to British Gymnastics in December 2019.

“It was an account of my experiences as a club and elite gymnast, and the experiences I shared were the reason for my retirement in January, not a physical injury as was suggested by some at the time.

“My complaint was submitted in accordance with the British Gymnastics complaints policy by a legal team from Irwin Mitchell. After eight months, I’m no closer to having any feedback or outcome.”

Tom Barnard from Irwin Mitchell’s Litigation team is advising Amy with her case.

Reacting to Tinkler’s complaint, British Gymnastics said in a statement: “British Gymnastics received formal notification of a complaint from Amy Tinkler in December 2019 and she provided full details of this complaint to us on 10th March 2020 which then allowed the investigation to proceed.

“It is at an advanced stage and we have kept Amy Tinkler fully informed and provided her with the appropriate support and we will continue to do so. We can make no further comment at this stage in the process.”