Stan Wild was a gymnast who became a well-known figure due to his career in the 60s and 70s. He represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games.
Wild also took part in four world championships and three European Championships during his career. After retiring from competing, he went on to set up his own gymnastics club in York.
Unfortunately, Wild was barred from coaching after police investigated allegations against him. The national governing body for gymnastics in the UK barred him from membership following a disciplinary panel hearing and a five year suspension, which also meant he was unable to work with children and young people in a British Gymnastics recognized environment.
This was in response to a former gymnastics student’s allegations of sexual abuse by Wild when she was a child.
A documentary called Gymnastics: A Culture of Abuse?, which aired on ITV, explores the fight for justice by British former gymnasts who allege they were physically, emotionally or sexually abused as children by their coaches.
Despite these allegations, Wild has denied them, and no prosecution was brought due to insufficient evidence of a sexual act. His current whereabouts and activities are unknown since the ban on his coaching.
