The German Gymnastics Association has asserted that it had already responded three years ago to grievances that the former gymnast Tabea Alt had drawn attention to in a letter in 2021. This was frightening and at the same time helpful and was not without consequences, it said in a further statement on the allegations of abuse made by several athletes at the federal base in Stuttgart.
In addition to Alt, Michelle Timm, among others, made public statements. “Systematic physical and mental abuse” and “catastrophic circumstances” were mentioned. Alt said last weekend that she had clearly identified and made known the grievances in Stuttgart and in German women’s gymnastics in general. She regretted that this had been unsuccessful and had led to nothing. The DTB has now assured that all complaints have been taken seriously, they have been investigated and will continue to do so.
“The review process, in which the gymnasts are intensively involved, must show whether we were unable to adequately communicate the measures taken, whether the gymnasts perceived the measures differently or whether they were wrong or insufficient,” the association statement said. There were concrete measures taken by the Swabian Gymnastics Federation (STB) on the training system in Stuttgart. Timm’s information would have resulted in temporary personnel consequences before Christmas. Medical control and authority to give instructions were also transferred from the trainers to a higher-level person.
It is important to treat and listen to all sides fairly during the process. “Here too, we must recognize the sometimes completely different perceptions and use these as an opportunity for a self-critical review,” admitted the DTB.
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