The allegations of abuse at the national gymnastics base in Stuttgart continue to make waves. The German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) now showed SWR Sport understanding that the athletes had turned to the public and confirmed that they had initiated a process of change.
It was a real “earthquake” that struck the national gymnastics base in Stuttgart and the DTB almost a week ago. Several current and former selection gymnasts, including Tabea Alt, Kim Bui and Michelle Timm, publicly denounced grievances. Complaints were made for “systematic physical and mental abuse” and “catastrophic circumstances”.
A lot has happened since then. First of all they had DTB and the Swabian Gymnastics Association (STB) issued statements on the gymnasts’ allegations on December 31, 2024. The STB confirmed on New Year’s Day at the request of SWR Sport In addition, training for all gymnasts at the Kunst-Turn-Forum in Stuttgart will resume on Thursday, January 2nd. would start again. According to STB, national gymnastics coach Gerben Wiersma and junior national coach Claudia Schunk will be able to do this from January 7th. Take over training sessions.
The first personnel consequences were also drawn and two people were appointed until January 19th. temporarily released. In addition, the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Culture called for a detailed investigation into the allegations made.
DTB knew about the allegations since July 2024
At the request of SWR Sport, the DTB has now confirmed that it had been aware of allegations at the federal base in Stuttgart for some time. “The first reports reached us via the ‘Start Against Violence’ contact point in July 2024,” says the association. “These were completely anonymous. The reporting people did not want any contact with the DTB. In October 2024, a person contacted us directly with a report and an intervention procedure was started.”
DTB: “The coaches are confronted with the allegations”
In this intervention process, “other people involved would be interviewed, the trainers would be confronted with the allegations and change processes would be initiated,” says the DTB, which does not want to be more specific in this regard for “legal reasons.”
Tabea Alt with serious accusations
The association also says that they responded early to a letter from Tabea Alt to the DTB in 2021: “Tabea Alt wrote a letter to their trainers in 2021 – which individual people in charge at the DTB and the STB took note of – The allegations made were used by both associations to make changes and take measures to improve the conditions for athletes.”
Alt had written a “detailed letter” to her trainers, the then national coach Ulla Koch, the DTB President Alfons Hölzl and the team doctor. “In it, I clearly identified and made known the grievances here in Stuttgart and in German women’s gymnastics in general using my example,” she wrote on Instagram. She also suggested solutions and wanted to get involved herself. But Alt “found with regret that it was unsuccessful and led to nothing. It was ignored or simply not taken seriously.”
DTB: There were “probably continued misconduct” after Tabea Alt’s allegations
The DTB now explained that Alt’s allegations at the time were taken seriously. The findings were incorporated into the DTB cultural and structural process “Performance with Respect” as well as into the concrete work-up at the federal base in Stuttgart. “Numerous changes were the result,” says the association, which admits: “According to the evidence now available, misconduct continued to occur, which understandably gave Tabea Alt the impression that there had been no changes since her time “It will be the task of the two associations to clarify this in the coming weeks.”
The DTB continued that there were already consequences after Alt’s letter in 2021: “Yes, changes were made to responsibilities and areas of responsibility and individual measures were imposed on individual trainers.”
DTB understands this Make it public of gymnasts
The DTB shows understanding for the collective and well-concerted publicizing of gymnasts via social media: “Athletes like Tabea Alt and Kim Bui have made their bad experiences with the competitive sports system known to the association in different ways in the past. The associations have new ones Accusations were made – in their eyes, there were not enough noticeable consequences, so the athletes chose social media to be heard publicly. We recognize this perception and approach of the athletes and take it as an opportunity self-critical reflection.”
So far, only gymnasts have gone public with allegations. The association also commented on this: “The DTB has no information from gymnasts.”
DTB does not want to repeat past mistakes
But what’s next at the DTB? The association explains that the “intervention case will be supplemented and reassessed with the additional information that has now become known.” “This may result in new, more extensive measures. The exact course of the investigation has not yet been defined as the association is still consulting with experts on this matter. It is clear to us that we want to involve the athletes in order to learn from their experiences and not to repeat the mistakes of the past.”
Broadcast on Saturday, January 4th, 2025, 2:00 p.m., Stadium, SWR1
