Abuse in gymnastics: Trainer Gerrit Beltman resigns

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Gerrit Beltman at a press conference in 2004

Photo: Vincent van Doornick / imago images / Belga

In the gymnastics scandal in Chemnitz, a coach of the TuS 1861 Chemnitz-Altendorf is resigning.

Club president Frank Munzer confirmed to SPIEGEL a report by the "Sächsische Zeitung", according to which the Dutchman Gerrit Beltman had asked to terminate his contract.

Beltman justified the move in a statement by the association on Gymmedia.com with the public discussion about himself.

He wanted to "avoid harm to the club and especially to his gymnasts and their perspectives".

The association thanked him for his "impeccable and high-quality work, which at no time during his work in Chemnitz gave cause for criticism".

Beltman worked in Chemnitz from 2014 to 2016 and then again from August 1st of last year.

Numerous female athletes whom he had coached at his previous stations had accused Beltman of psychological and physical abuse.

Beltman had partially confirmed these allegations before he took office for the second time in Chemnitz.

"I mistreated and humiliated young gymnasts in order to win medals," he had told the "Noordhollands Dagblad", "I am deeply ashamed of that."

However, he claimed that the assaults were primarily psychological.

The gymnastics scandal in Chemnitz started when gymnasts reported in SPIEGEL about grievances and abuses by trainer Gabriele Frehse, among them Pauline Schäfer, 2017 world champion on the balance beam.

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