Spanish gymnastics federation dismisses technical director Stolyar
Anton Stolyar leaves after reports of aggressive behaviour towards his partner Lieke Wevers.
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The Spanish gymnastics federation has dismissed technical director Anton Stolyar after learning of an incident in which he reportedly behaved aggressively towards his partner Lieke Wevers. In June, the federation had appointed Stolyar and Wevers to the national women’s team.
In June, the Spanish gymnastics federation RFEG announced that Anton Stolyar would become technical director of the national women’s team. Lieke Wevers, a former Dutch gymnast and European champion, was to support the programme’s technical and choreographic development. The pair were to work on preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games.
According to sports publication IUSPORT, the RFEG decided to dismiss Stolyar at the end of August after learning of an incident in which he reportedly behaved aggressively towards Wevers. The reports only became public in October. The RFEG’s earlier announcement concerned the appointment and contained no explanation of the later dismissal.
The available information contains no publicly detailed account of the incident. It is therefore impossible to establish exactly what happened, what statements were made by the federation or those involved, or whether legal proceedings are under way. It concerns an allegation about behaviour; no judicial finding of guilt has been reported.
Wevers competed as a gymnast at three Olympic Games and became European champion on the balance beam in 2015. Her role at the Spanish federation focused on developing the artistic and expressive side of the programme. Within the technical leadership, Stolyar was to become responsible for the women’s team’s performance programme.
The dismissal therefore affects not only a personnel matter but also preparations for a national elite sports programme. The Spanish federation must organise a new technical structure for the coming cycle. The consequences of Stolyar’s departure for Wevers, the rest of the staff and the athletes are not yet known.
Sports organisations are increasingly working with codes of conduct and internal reporting procedures. A federation must be able to intervene quickly when there are concerns about safety within a team, while also handling the right to be heard and the opportunity to respond carefully. In this case, what is publicly known is chiefly that the RFEG first announced an appointment and later, according to IUSPORT, proceeded with a dismissal. The reasons and procedure have not been disclosed further.
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The appointment was confirmed by the Spanish gymnastics federation and the later dismissal by IUSPORT. Details of the incident and the internal procedure have deliberately not been presented as established facts.
- confirmed Stolyar and Wevers were appointed by the Spanish gymnastics federation in June. — Official announcement by the RFEG. source
- confirmed Stolyar was dismissed at the end of August, according to IUSPORT. — IUSPORT published this information two days before the current edition. source
- uncertain There was aggressive behaviour towards Wevers. — This is the wording used in the available reports; no publicly detailed investigation report exists. source
- confirmed Wevers became European champion on the balance beam in 2015. — Mentioned in the official RFEG biography. source