After allegations of abuse: Trainer temporarily released from work in Stuttgart

The scandal at the federal gymnastics base in Stuttgart is having its first personnel consequences, and demands for a more detailed investigation are increasing. The allegations made by former gymnasts are “worrying,” said the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) at the request of the German press agency with. The Swabian Gymnastics Federation (STB), as the host of the affected artistic gymnastics forum, may even be threatened with financial consequences in the form of a reduction in funding. Led by the former selection gymnasts Tabea Alt and Michelle Timm, several athletes recently made grievances public at the base in Stuttgart. “Systematic physical and mental abuse” and catastrophic circumstances were denounced. Active female athletes also commented. Lara Hinsberger reported, among other things, that she was “treated like an object”. The German record champion Elisabeth Seitz called for the events to be dealt with. The German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) and the STB announced an investigation.

Two trainers have now been temporarily released until January 19th. The Stuttgarter Zeitung and the Stuttgart News According to this, a commission should also be founded that will speak to everyone involved – gymnasts, parents, coaches and association officials. Training has been running again in the art gymnastics forum since Thursday. From next Tuesday, national coach Gerben Wiersma and junior national coach Claudia Schunk will also be taking on assignments there.

“This situation shows once again how important the adoption of the Safe Sport Code by the DOSB general meeting was.”

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Culture, which is responsible for sport, said the gymnastics associations had been asked to be included in the announced self-examination and processing of the allegations. “The unshakable premise of the state funding” is “that international competitiveness must not take precedence over the physical and psychological integrity of the athletes,” it continued. “If sports organizations violate this principle, state funds can be reclaimed.”

According to its statement, the ministry “wants to continue to work at the national level together with the Conference of Sports Ministers to ensure that individual and structural factors of personal violence are counteracted in competitive sports and that the issue of violence in sports is addressed with even greater awareness.” Also the DOSB called for the Stuttgart scandal to be clarified. “This situation shows once again how important the adoption of the Safe Sport Code by the DOSB general meeting was and how important it is to implement it quickly in the member associations and structures of organized sport,” explained the national umbrella organization. With the Safe Sport Code, interpersonal violence in sport can be legally punished and sanctioned even below the criminal law threshold. The DTB only passed it last November.