“Deeply Dissatisfied”: Gymnastics Stars’ Parents Makes Heartbreaking Confession After Coach’s Sudden Suspension

It is just like the darkness residing right below the light. Last year, the 2024 Canterbury Sport and Recreation Awards had 53 finalists. The names were collected from a staggering 138 nominations from several sporting codes. The award was, however, to celebrate the contributions of the respective individuals in the concerned sports in New Zealand. You can guess that the nomination list had some of the iconic names from the country’s sporting fraternity. The problem is that the same list had a gymnastics coach as the finalist who had serious allegations against her. Surprisingly, the key authorities knew of the allegations against her. Yet she found a place in the final. Why? The questions are still on the way. 

Elena Mesheryakova, the gymnastics coach of Christchurch United Gymnastics Club, was handed a suspension by Gymnastics New Zealand last year. She had to spend six weeks away from the gymnastics facility. She had grave charges against her. As per the report published by The New Zealand Herald, the coach used “physically and verbally abusive coaching methods.” Such a coaching method impacted the students physically and mentally. The parents of the students had complained about something serious. 

According to the budding gymnasts’ parents, Elena’s coaching methods seriously impacted their kids. The kids actually faced disordered eating habits and their body image had also changed. Such a grave situation indeed!

Now, parents think that the coach didn’t face a penalty appropriate for what she did. Also, she will return to the job very soon. Watching such an irresponsible handling of the matter by the authorities, a parent told The New Zealand Herald, “I am deeply dissatisfied with the punishment given to the coach involved, serious misconduct regarding the poor treatment of children is not something to be ignored.”

Stay tuned. This report is developing…