Olympics coach withdraws amid inappropriate behaviour allegations
The coach of the Australian Gymnastics team has withdrawn due to allegations of inappropriate behaviour, just weeks before the Paris Olympics are set to begin.
Jeb Silsbury withdrew from the team on Thursday after allegations of inappropriate behaviour were raised by a former colleague with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).
The claims allege that Silsbury made remarks about his colleague's breasts and "slapped" her bottom, as first reported by the ABC.
Silsbury's withdrawal comes just one day before he was due to head to Paris to begin preparations for the Olympics, which kick off on July 26th.
According to AOC rules, all athletes, coaches and officials are required to reveal whether they have been involved in any integrity related issue before to their selection for a national team.
It is understood that the AOC was not aware of the allegations, which have not yet been fully investigated.
A spokesperson for the AOC confirmed with Wide World of Sports that Silsbury has been deselected as coach, saying in a statement, "The AOC understands Mr Silsbury has withdrawn as a coach from the Australian gymnastics team for Paris 2024. Consequently, he has been deselected."
"The AOC was not aware of any integrity matters in relation to Mr Silsbury's nomination for the Australian Olympic Team when considering his suitability for selection."
"The AOC is committed to the national integrity framework. Complaints can be directed to Sport Integrity Australia or through Gymnastic Australia's complaints handling mechanisms."
The allegations have prompted questions regarding the selection processes of Gymnastics Australia (GA) and Silsbury's eligibility.
As per GA's selection policy, coaches can be considered for national teams as long as they are not currently under sanction or being investigated for violating the sport's regulations.
Image credits: Gymnastics Australia