Psychological violence in sport is often difficult to detect. Image: Adobe
Where does rigorous training end and abuse begin? The Frehse case is an example of an unacceptable gray area when it comes to punishing psychological violence in top-class sport.
“The suffering was caused to the extent that the gymnasts wanted to please the accused Frehse and be praised by her. If exercises were not performed correctly or if the weight could not be maintained, people complained or were weighed, sometimes in front of the assembled team. This mental pressure is regrettable in professional sport, but normal.” That writes the Chemnitz public prosecutor.
After an international debate about abusive training practices began in the summer of 2020 under the hashtag #gymnastAlliance, Pauline and Helene Schäfer-Betz and Leonie Papke were among the first gymnasts in Germany to make their experiences public. They wanted to have the court clarify whether what happened to them under head coach Gabriele Frehse at the federal base in Chemnitz was in accordance with the law. At the end of 2020, they filed a complaint against the trainer and two doctors on suspicion of mistreatment of wards and negligent bodily harm.