Magglingen Protocols: “Mrs. Amherd was shaken”

The revelations caused a wave of indignation across the country: in the “Magazin”, former gymnasts described how they were systematically humiliated in Magglingen over the years. Now everything has its first consequences.

As the “Magazin” on Saturday (for a fee) showed, intimidation, humiliation and mistreatment are part of the daily life of young girls in artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics. The report leaves the reader thoughtful and shocked.

On Wednesday evening, the Swiss Gymnastics Federation announced that Felix Stingelin, head of top-level sport since 2008, had left STV on 31 October 2020 “by mutual agreement”. “We would like to thank Felix Stingelin for his great commitment and tireless commitment and wish him all the best for the future,” said Erwin Grossenbacher, STV Central President.

STV has to go to Mrs. Amherd

With Stingelin’s departure, the problems are by no means solved. After the latest revelations, now politics has also intervened. A spokesperson for the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS) said, “Ms. Amherd was shocked.”

And the sport minister personally announced to the NZZ that she would be involved. “Such behavior on the part of trainers is unacceptable and intolerable. Athletes are the weakest link in competitive and high-level sport and must be well protected, ”says Amherd.

On Tuesday in Bern the leaders of the gymnastics association and the heads of the umbrella organization Swiss Olympic are due to race in Bern, continues “Blick”. Federal Councilor Amherd announced: “We are examining which sanctioning options are appropriate to avoid such incidents and what new tools such as early warning systems or independent reporting points need to be created.”

One can only hope that words will finally be followed by deeds and that something will radically change in the STV system.