German Gymnastics Faces Abuse Allegations at Stuttgart Training Center

Former and current athletes accuse coaches of systemic abuse, prompting investigations and calls for reform.

Former gymnast Tabea Alt and other athletes have accused the Stuttgart training center of systematic physical and mental abuse, including forcing athletes to compete with serious injuries.
Allegations include widespread issues such as eating disorders, punitive training, and emotional manipulation, described as a systemic problem in German gymnastics.
The German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) and the Swabian Gymnastics Federation (STB) have acknowledged the claims and announced an investigation with external support.
Active gymnast Elisabeth Seitz and retired athlete Kim Bui have publicly supported the whistleblowers, urging accountability and systemic change to create a safer environment for athletes.
The DTB has implemented immediate measures at the Stuttgart center and emphasized the need to uphold athlete welfare while addressing failures in its high-performance system.