CANBERRA, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Gymnastics Australia has signed up to a compensation scheme for victims of child sexual abuse in the sport.
The governing body of gymnastics in Australia on Thursday officially joined the Commonwealth National Redress Scheme, three years after first declaring its intention to do so.
Established in 2018 in response to the landmark Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the scheme entitles survivors who experienced sexual abuse at a participating organization to compensation worth up to 150,000 Australian dollars (97,127 U.S. dollars) as well as access to counseling and support services.
Alexandra Ash, chief executive officer of Gymnastics Australia, said in a statement that the organization's declaration as a participating institution was a significant step forward for the community.
More than 800,000 Australians participate in gymnastics, 93 percent of whom are under the age of 12.
"Gymnastics Australia believes the safety of all children comes first, and that abuse -- no matter when it occurred -- is abhorrent and unacceptable," Ash said on Thursday.
"We recognize and commend the bravery shown by those who have come forward to share their story of mistreatment while involved in our sport. It is through their courage that we have been able to improve policies and procedures, designed to keep our participants safe and enjoying what they do."
"Ensuring Gymnastics clubs across Australia are providing a safe environment for all our participants is the number one priority for our organization."
According to local online media the Guardian Australia, almost 500 non-government organizations have signed up to the voluntary scheme.
The August monthly update on the scheme revealed it has paid 1.09 billion AUD (705.8 million USD) to 12,333 victims, with more than 14,000 applications still pending.
Victims have until June 2027 to apply for compensation. ■
