Gymnastics NZ Chief Executive Andrea Nelson will depart her role in July.

Gymnastics NZ Chair Quinton Hall thanked Nelson for her significant contribution to the sport during her three-and-a-half-year tenure.

“Having joined Gymnastics NZ as chief executive during an unsettled time for our sport, Andrea handled every challenge that was thrown at her,” Hall said.

“While we are very sad to see her depart, Andrea leaves the organisation on a strong footing and well placed for the future.

“On behalf of the Gymnastics NZ Board, I thank Andrea for her dedication and professionalism and wish her all the best for her next challenge.”

Nelson departs with gymnastics in New Zealand in good heart.

“Having acknowledged and overcome a number of substantial challenges in recent years, the future for gymnastics in New Zealand is extremely bright,” Nelson said.

“Gymnastics NZ is fortunate to have a board that is well equipped to navigate what continues to be a challenging operating environment for sporting organisations.

“During my time as chief executive, I have been very fortunate to have the full support of Quinton and the board. That support allowed me to approach the work identified through the 2021 independent review with confidence and clarity.”

Nelson said Gymnastics NZ could be proud of the progress made across a number of key areas, including child safeguarding, community relationships, complaints management, and athlete voice.

“The 2021 independent review set out clearly what needed to be done to help ensure gymnastics provides positive experiences and outcomes for everyone involved in the sport. While there will always be more work to do, Gymnastics NZ has made significant progress across the board.”

Nelson also acknowledged the contribution of the Gymnastics NZ team.

“The Gymnastics NZ team has overseen a period of significant change in how gymnastics is delivered in the modern environment,” Nelson said.

“The work developing and implementing training guidelines for competitive gymnasts, alongside modernising Gym for All programmes, has been truly transformational.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to work in gymnastics and meet so many great people along the way. It is now time for me to look ahead to the next challenge.”