Column | The Price of Seduction

It took a while before the cry for help resulted in a report that was then broadcast on the TV morning magazine (at least) in Germany. Former German gymnasts have recently complained almost weekly about grievances in training. The most recent comment was made by Olympic participant and 2021 World Championship bronze medalist on the balance beam, Tabea Alt. And it is dramatic. Eating disorders are the result and humiliation is the order of the day.

Another sentence makes you think you misread it. According to Alt, she had to perform with broken bones. On the social network Instagram, the former top gymnast accused the associations of "systematic and physical abuse." At first, you think this is an isolated case. But no. What is truly shocking is the fact that this appears to be an everyday occurrence. Multiple German champion Kim Bui and Emma Malewski, European champion on the balance beam two years ago, also support their former colleague. "It's bad enough that you have to go public with it so that you can be heard," said Malewski.

Emma Malewski expressed criticism. © Social Media

The gymnasts cannot simply dial 112, the emergency number. But they raised the issue years ago. Nothing happened. Only now, after the reports came to light, were two trainers in Stuttgart released. The German Gymnastics Association (DTB) and the Swabian Gymnastics Association (STB) have "initiated short-term training measures at the Stuttgart Artistic Gymnastics Center until the situation is further clarified and to protect everyone."

The pressure comes from above I have discussed the topic in such detail at the beginning of today's column because the accusations made by gymnasts in Germany are just the tip of the iceberg. And it's not just about gymnastics. It's about competitive sport itself, which can and should always be called into question. It's the fundamental question that every coach, official and athlete themselves must grapple with. How far do I want to go, how far can I go to achieve my goals?

I want to start by talking about the coaches: They are under constant pressure. In order to keep their jobs or to get a higher salary, they have to achieve results with their protégés (note the word protégés). In many sports, these coaches are underpaid when they are not training footballers. And they are practically constantly working overtime. They are simply passing on the pressure they receive from their employers, the associations and clubs, and also from public opinion. A well-known phenomenon.

There is hardly any counter-pressure, because the athletes obviously want to be at the top. This is also why they are easy to control, especially at a young age when criticism of the coaches is simply not an option. People are happy for any help, to stay in the gymnast jargon. As a young person, if a certain talent has been recognized in one sport or another, you are sometimes washed into the mill of competitive sport. There are no questions. There are plenty of opportunities. Or so you think.

Germany's gymnasts are under a lot of pressure. © deutscherturnerbund/Soziale Medien

And a few more giant swings on the high bar, even if your hands are already cracked. You just cut away the broken skin, smear deer tallow over it, then wrap bandages around the problem areas and then put the straps on the high bar. And another round. I did it myself for many years. It's just like that. You don't know it any other way. Praise is what makes you tough. This extremely stupid saying is part of the standard repertoire.

Empathy from the trainers: None at all, although I was fortunate enough to meet exceptions, such as the recently deceased German national gymnastics coach Franz Heinlein. Drill was and still is one of the main tools in everyday training. Automatic sequences of exercises can only be created with repetition, regardless of the sport. And anyone who starts despite being injured and completely risks their health will later become a hero. There are enough examples of this. But this is precisely the wrong signal.

Lack of culture of conversation We still believe that the days when hard work was the joy of sport are over. But psychologists are still more likely to stand at the edge of the mat or in the finish area and are only consulted when problems have become obvious. By then it is often too late. A culture of open discussion and exchange between coach and player or athlete has still not become as widespread as it should be.

This is also due to the athletes - and I know that I will now receive a lot of criticism - who are hard to stop. But they too are under constant pressure. From their own personal motivation or even for economic reasons. Added to this is the fact that they have a tight time frame to be successful.

However, that does not excuse the mistakes that happen all over the world and across all sports. I see the accusations made by the German gymnasts as representative of many. Probably many more than we know or even assume. We usually only see the jubilation and joy. Rarely the suffering and effort behind it. Sport seduces us, but the seducers sometimes pay a high price.

About the author: Sigi Heinrich The award-winning sports journalist (including winner of the German Television Prize, the Bavarian Sports Prize and nominated for the prestigious Grimme Prize), author, long-time sports editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and commentator at Eurosport since 1989, devotes his weekly column to the entire range of sports and also likes to venture into unfamiliar territory. Sometimes with a wink, sometimes thoughtfully or deliberately provocatively. There should be something for everyone.

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Column | The Price of Seduction

Reports of misconduct in the training of German gymnasts are currently causing quite a stir. Our columnist Sigi Heinrich is shocked by these reports, which are probably just the tip of the iceberg across all sports.

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