World championship gymnastic medallists Becky and Ellie Downie, who spoke out against shocking abuse in British gymnastics, are among those to have been recognised in the New Year Honours List for 2024.
The national list is released each year and recipients are typically awarded for “outstanding contributions across all parts of the UK” for work in areas such as sustained public service, youth engagement and community work.
Recommendations for honours are decided by a committee and then passed to the Prime Minister and the King for approval.
Nottingham-based duo Rebecca Lauren Downie (Becky), 31, and Elissa Rebecca Louise Downie (Ellie), 24, have both been honoured with an MBE for their services to gymnastics.
The older of the sisters, Becky, first made her Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Some of her achievements include a double Commonwealth gold in 2014, the same year as taking European gold on the uneven bars, while in 2015 she was part of the British team which won a historic team world bronze medal.
In 2016, she was crowned European bars champion once again as well as winning silver in the team event.
After some time out of competition, Becky entered the 2023 European Championships in Antalya, where she won team gold and floor silver.
Having also started from a young age, Ellie won Britain’s first-ever all-around medal at the European Championships; one of 12 medals she went on to win at continental and world level.
In 2020, the sisters spoke publicly about the abuse and culture of fear they experienced in the sport.
This coincided with the launch of the Whyte Review into the culture in gymnastics, and the subsequent report revealed an ingrained culture of abusive behaviour and poor complaint handling in the sport.
While Ellie retired in January, citing her mental wellbeing, she did so as one of Britain’s most successful gymnasts in recent times.
Meanwhile, Becky continues to compete.
She said: “It was definitely a shock.
“I think we had to go through such a difficult time with everything we brought up within the sport.
“To be recognised on that type of scale, we know we did the right thing, but to get this for that I think just symbolises it even more.
“I hope it will encourage positivity around it, rather than the negative aspects around it which is what me and Ellie felt for a long time.
“Hopefully it will encourage other people to use their voice and speak up, because we’ve been rewarded for it now.”
Becky is now training and working towards the Paris Olympic Games in July 2024.
“Everything is going really well,” she added. “I have been out for a long time so it is important for me to get back to competition this year.
“It has definitely not been the easiest few years. Touch all the wood I probably feel, physically, in the best position I have ever been in my career, so I’m excited for the next competition now.
“I was always aiming for that Olympic medal, that Olympic finale if you want to call it that, but at the end of the day I knew I didn’t need a medal to define my career and what I have done.
“The MBE does recognise our career but also the impact me and Ellie have had across the sport.”
