After serious allegations from German ski mountaineers regarding possible irregularities in medical tests, the German Alpine Club has released the sports director Hermann Gruber.
Hermann Gruber is one of the two accused in the case, which recently became public during the Olympics and caused a stir. Meanwhile, the Traunstein public prosecutor’s office initiated an investigation against two people.
As a spokesman for the prosecutors in Upper Bavaria announced, a corresponding complaint had been examined. There is an initial suspicion “that the accused have committed a prosecutable crime”said the speaker.
Accusations: assault, Aid, coercion
According to the German Alpine Club (DAV), Gruber – who was recently at the Olympic premiere in Bormio – asked for the exemption himself. “This exemption is in the interest of a transparent and undisturbed investigation by the Traunstein public prosecutor’s office and in the interest of the athletes.”it said.
In a sports show report, the ski mountaineers Felix Gramelsberger and Sophia Weßling made the complaints against Gruber and the former national coach Maximilian Wittwer public. According to the public prosecutor’s office, another ex-member of the national ski mountaineering team filed a criminal complaint.
It concerns the allegations of grievous bodily harm, aiding and abetting grievous bodily harm, coercion and negligent bodily harm. The accused are presumed innocent. The investigation will take several weeks, it was said from Traunstein.
Athletes on tests: “Crazy blood adulteration”
According to the ARD report, the athletes had blood taken from their earlobes up to 60 times within a few hours in April 2024 at the Chiemgau Olympic base in Ruhpolding. According to the athletes, minimum hygiene standards were not observed and the helpers, some of whom were allegedly untrained, did not change their gloves between blood samples, but used them on several athletes one after the other.
Gramelsberger spoke of one in the report “insane blood-mongering”. The association admitted that there were complaints after the test. It is based on feedback from athletes “Processes reviewed and organizationally developed further” it was said.
Weßling and Gramelsberger did not take part in the Olympics
Ski mountaineering celebrated its Olympic premiere at the Winter Games in Italy. Weßling and Gramelsberger were not part of the German squad and were not part of the Olympic squad for the 2025/2026 season, but according to the official statement they are only part of the DAV squad for sporting reasons.
