Olympics coach withdraws amid inappropriate behaviour allegations
<p>The coach of the Australian Gymnastics team has withdrawn due to allegations of inappropriate behaviour, just weeks before the Paris Olympics are set to begin. </p>
<p>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). </p>
<p>The claims allege that Silsbury made remarks about his colleague's breasts and "slapped" her bottom, as first reported by the <em>ABC</em>.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>It is understood that the AOC was not aware of the allegations, which have not yet been fully investigated. </p>
<p>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World of Sports that Silsbury has been deselected as coach, saying in a statement, "The AOC understands Mr Silsbury has withdrawn as a coach from the Australian gymnastics team for Paris 2024.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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>The allegations have prompted questions regarding the selection processes of Gymnastics Australia (GA) and Silsbury's eligibility.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><em>Image credits: Gymnastics Australia</em></p>
