Former gymnasts criticize DTB over reappraisal of abuse allegations
Former German top gymnasts have criticized the governing body DTB over its way of dealing with abuse allegations at training centres and called for a fully independent investigation in an open letter.
The DTB has asked a Frankfurt law firm three weeks ago to help clear up the accusations centring on the Stuttgart and Mannheim training centres.
But the letter signed by 28 people, including parents, coaches and athletes such as Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Scheder, said that a similar move after accusations against the Chemnitz training centre showed that final results could be influenced by DTB interests.
They want the deal with the law firm to be terminated, and that the DTB has started asking people to submit their contact data to the company.
"We are very concerned that the German Gymnastics Federation wants to create facts and pre-empt a possible independent investigation," the letter said.
In the letter also addressed to the ministry overseeing sports in the state of Baden-Württemberg and its regional sports umbrella organizations, they call for a fully independent probe.
It called on the ministry to ensure "that no investigation commissioned by the German Gymnastics Federation is carried out to clarify past facts under the financial shadow of the German Gymnastics Federation."
The DTB told dpa it would comment on the open letter on Friday.
Allegations emerged in December, with former elite gymnasts Tabea Alt and Michelle Timm speaking out about the Stuttgart training centre, detailing what they saw as "systematic physical and mental abuse" and "catastrophic conditions."
Others have followed and the affair has spread to the Mannheim training centre through accusations of authoritarian training methods.
Two Stuttgart coaches have been suspended, and a former Stuttgart coach is under investigation on suspicion of coercion in several cases, with police conducting searches on Thursday.
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