More disturbing allegations raised about pole vault coach Alex Parnov

More disturbing allegations have been raised about the behaviour of pole vault coach Alex Parnov.

Commonwealth Games athlete Amanda Bisk is the latest athlete to come forward and share her story after Athletics Australia responded to the "totally unacceptable and deeply distressing" allegations on Friday.

Parnov was one of the country's top coaches and worked with some of Australia's finest field athletes in his two decades at the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS).

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Seven women have alleged they were exposed to inappropriate conduct and actions by Parnov.

The claims, cited in a two-month investigation conducted by The Australian, are now being examined by WA Police.

Bisk, 38, was accepted into Parnov's group of athletes at age 20 and told the publication she was a victim of an alleged sexual incident by the coach in Japan in 2009.

"So the night before our competition, he came to my room, and I could smell alcohol," an emotional Bisk The Australian.

"I thought, 'Wow, he seems a bit drunk'. He said, 'I just wanted to come and talk about the comp tomorrow and tuck you in'.

"I was this naive, young girl. I was a late bloomer. So I thought, 'Oh, tuck you in like a parent, say you're going to do great at the comp tomorrow, and whatever.' But then he actually got into the bed with me.

"I was nervous and shaking, and I didn't understand what was happening. I could feel he had an erection, and he was rubbing it on me. I just started bursting into tears, crying, and he was saying inappropriate things like, 'I have this because of you'.

"I was crying and begging him to stop so much that, thankfully, he did. I could tell he was frustrated with me. I just stayed in bed and hoped he would leave, and he did."

Bisk, who competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi where she finished sixth, said Parnov acted as if nothing had happened in the days that followed.

WAIS has conducted an independent review after the allegations emerged.

Acting under a new board as of 2023, the WAIS admitted that the organisation "did not do enough to protect" their athletes at the time when alleged behavioural concerns occurred.

"The current board of the WAIS is appalled by the behaviour of former WAIS employee Alex Parnov and the devastating effect on athletes who were entitled to be safe in their sporting environment," a statement from WAIS chairman Neale Fong said.

"While the current board has been aware of some allegations against Mr Parnov, the disturbing accounts published in The Australian newspaper are far more extensive than previously known."

Fong revealed an experienced member of the police will be used to conduct an additional review into the "grievances against Parnov".

Sports Minister David Templeman is set to receive a detailed briefing from the WAIS into the content of the investigation.

The Australian's investigation found that the WAIS had failed to act when complaints had been made by athletes during the course of Parnov's tenure.

An investigation was conducted by the WAIS in 2019 that resulted in Parnov being whacked with a lifetime ban on obtaining re-accreditation to coach in the sport.

Further measures were also taken to ensure the 65-year-old would be prevented from participating in any athletics field across the globe.

The WAIS confirmed that Parnov has had no access to their venues since his employment ceased in 2019.

Australian gold medallists Nina Kennedy and Steve Hooker have been vocal about the culture of abuse in the sport and the lack of response taken by sporting authorities to change the manner.

Kennedy, one of the several athletes to have lodged a complaint about Parnov, noted that the 2019 investigation into his actions did not lay bare "the seriousness of the alleged misconduct."

The WAIS stated out of respect for Kennedy's Olympic campaign in Paris and her wishes, the organisation elected not to reopen the Parnov case.

"Athletes deserve to feel safe and supported; however, I believe the organisations responsible for safeguarding us failed to protect myself and others and enabled my former coach's harmful conduct to persist for over a decade," Kennedy wrote in a statement to The Australian.

"I don't believe the repercussions post-investigation delivered by WAIS accurately matched the severity of the allegations and findings.

"In this instance, I don't believe the leadership board had the best interests of my wellbeing at heart.

"I've been fighting this battle behind closed doors, in my own way... This story has weighed on my shoulders for many years.

"It was only once my coach resigned that I felt like I could fulfil my potential and see what I could do in the sport."

The WAIS apologised to Kennedy for her "unacceptable" experience with Parnov.

Hooker was coached by Parnov at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 where he took home the gold medal for Australia.

Supporting Kennedy's statement, the 42-year-old said he felt the evidence found in the WAIS investigation should have been supplied when news of Parnov's resignation was made public.

Athletics Australia issued an apology to all athletes who have been harmed by the actions of Parnov on Saturday, insisting that athlete safety remains at the forefront of their values.

"The reports identify patterns of behaviour that are totally unacceptable and deeply distressing, and we are profoundly sorry for the harm that they caused to athletes and staff," a statement by Athletics Australia said.

"We recognise the significance and importance of robust safeguards and collaboration across the sporting landscape to prevent such conduct from occurring, to protect athletes at every level, and to provide safe avenues to raise concerns.

"International sporting success and gold medals should never be a higher priority than athlete welfare.

"We will continue to work with athletes and coaches, Sport Integrity Australia and Institutes of Sport to ensure that athletes are protected from harm."

Athletics Australia said they have requested a review to be conducted by Sport Integrity Australia into the handling of the organisation when complaints of Parnov's behaviour were first made.