Abused gymnasts and disenfranchised gymnastics clubs have breathed a huge sigh of relief at the recent Court of Appeal ruling which effectively allows more than one governing body in the sport.

The ruling, in the long running feud between British Gymnastics and their rival UK Gymnastics, saw the Court of Appeal accept the premise that UK Gymnastics could call themselves a governing body for the sport, in a decision that has sent shockwaves through gymnastics.

UK Gymnastics Chris Adams said, “For too long now there has been a monopoly on governance in gymnastics from British Gymnastics, and this is what has led to the abuse of power and arrogance that has resulted in scores of gymnasts telling stories of abuse within British Gymnastics over the past few years. Finally, the Court of Appeal has accepted that there should be more than one governing body so that, in effect, gymnasts and gymnastics clubs feeling threatened within British Gymnastics, can move somewhere else and still be able to do the thing they love, which is simply to do gymnastics”.

Stephanie, a gymnast from a club In New Brighton, Lancashire said: “There is now a bright future for gymnastics in the UK, the powerbase of British Gymnastics has now been prevented. This now gives opportunities for both clubs and gymnasts all over the UK to finally have a choice and follow the path they wish, in the way any consumer should. This also allows growth in the sport with different opportunities to accommodate everyone’s needs.”

Mr Adams continued, “Our membership has been growing and growing, and that is why British Gymnastics wanted to try and stop us. The fact they have failed, and spent more than £200,000 worth of taxpayers and members money in the process, is a damning indictment on their leadership, and their frantic and desperate efforts to try and ensure that the multi-million pound business of gymnastics sits only with them. Change is now coming”.

Mr Adams also said, “The one thing we are now considering, as we start opening our doors and gaining new members, which is happening already since the judgement, is whether or not we want to keep the words ‘UK’ in our title. A strong body of opinion has been arguing in gymnastics a long time for a truly independent body away from British Gymnastics, and we’re going to have a long hard think whether or not rebranding ourselves, to distance us from the terrible goings on of British Gymnastics, is going to be a step that is worth taking. Certainly, most of our members have told us that they want to steer as far away, and create as much clear blue water between us as a governing body, and British Gymnastics, as possible. So watch this space!”

British Gymnastics were unavailable for comment when we made contact.