Doping scandal in gymnastics: coach Milbradt speaks plain text!

Doping scandal in gymnastics: coach Milbradt speaks plain text!

Leipzig, Deutschland - In an revealing conversation in Leipzig, Jens Milbradt, head coach of the German Turner, reported frankly about doping practices in the GDR. On the occasion of the current grievances in German gymnastics, which had come to light by gymnasts such as Tabea since the end of 2022, he made it clear that he had "guessed" during his active time but had no concrete evidence. These statements were taken up by the mdr when Milbradt answered the questions about doping.

MILBRADT, who has taken over the coaching office since November 2022, is not only a committed athlete, but also a critical observer of developments in gymnastics. In an interview with the FAZ, he advocated a differentiated view of the doping allegations, which testify to both his active career and the current affairs. In doing so, he regrets the inadequate communication between gymnasts, coaches and the German Turner Association (DTB), which also tightened the problem. He does not wrongly see the gymnastics sport.

doping practices in the historical context

The topic of doping in German sport is not new. As early as 1974, the GDR started a systematic doping program called "State Plan 14.25". This was not only used for sporting success, but also the state propaganda. According to the Deutschlandfunk , GDR athletes have won a total of 755 Olympic medals, including over 200 gold medals, which must be critically questioned by the mass use of performance-enhancing substances. Milbradt himself was a successful gymnastics athlete and, among other things, took a vice world championship title for which he inevitably got into the discussion today.

The state -based administration of anabolic steroids and other doping agents temporarily affected up to 15,000 athletes, including minors. Many affected athletes still fight with considerable health problems. Historians report a shocking extent of chronic diseases and mental disorders caused by these practices.

Way to rehabilitation and compensation

In the recent past, there have always been attempts to rehabilitate and compensate doping victims. After the doping practices were discovered by the Berlin doping processes in 1997, the GDR state doping system was recognized as "medium-heavy crime". However, numerous those affected recognized the compensation offered as inadequate. The doping victim aid law (DoHG), which was adopted in 2002, only included a limited number of victims, and the subsequent draft law for further support was discontinued.

The demand for comprehensive legal recognition of the victims of doping has therefore not yet been met. Evelyn Zupke, the first federal representative for the victims of the SED dictatorship, has already called for a change in the law. According to the doping victim aid association (DOH), a deeper social examination of the consequences of the GDR doping system is just as necessary as a historical processing.

The call for transparency and eliminating the grievances in gymnastics is becoming increasingly louder, and the commitment of coaches like Jens Milbradt could represent the first step in a new and just direction. He refers to the need to openly discuss the difficulties in German gymnastics in order to initiate the urgently needed reforms.