National Team Captain Steps Down After Criticism

Helena Andersson Melander is leaving her role as national team captain for the gymnastics national team, announces the Swedish Gymnastics Federation in a press release.

» Published: January 24 2025

National Team Captain Steps Down After Criticism
Photo: Erik Nylander/TT

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Instead, she will receive other tasks within the national team operations, where her focus will be directed towards the gymnasts training in Eskilstuna.

"Being a national team captain, club coach, and head coach for our effort with SOK (Swedish Olympic Committee) is collectively an almost inhuman task," says elite chief Jonas Juhl Christiansen in the press release.

Andersson Melander has, among other things, been criticized for holding dual roles, as she, in addition to being national team captain, was also a club coach in Eskilstuna.

Dagens Nyheter has reported on several occasions about the dissatisfaction, where other clubs have chosen to stop sending gymnasts to national team camps due to the "toxic environment" in Eskilstuna. And one of Sweden's top gymnasts, Tonya Paulsson, announced last year that she would switch national teams to Taiwan.

The work of appointing a new national team leadership is ongoing.

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

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