Golden European Championship days followed by crisis: "Sensational" gymnastics team faces new, major worries

The German gymnasts exceeded all expectations at the European Championships in Leipzig. But the medal haul doesn't change the fact that the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) has a complex crisis to resolve. The future of a key personnel member remains uncertain.

At the end of the "golden" European Championship days in Leipzig, the German gymnasts even rocked a soccer stadium. Andreas Toba and his team were celebrated by around 40,000 spectators at the gala during the International German Gymnastics Festival in the Zentralstadion. They had previously delivered a medal haul at the European Championships that was hardly imaginable. The German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) is breathing a sigh of relief in the midst of the crisis – yet still has to deal with old problems and new worries.

"From a sporting perspective, these European Championships exceeded all our expectations," said DTB Sports Director Thomas Gutekunst on Saturday, reflecting on the medal haul after Andreas Toba crowned Germany's European Championship record with silver on the high bar in the final competition of his career, and Nils Dunkel with a sensational gold on the parallel bars. Because the women, especially 19-year-old Karina Schönmaier, also shook up the European elite, three European Championship titles and a total of six medals were on the books after six days of competition.

"Of course a big disappointment"

"It's sensational that it's working like this after such a bumpy preparation," Gutekunst concluded. Both the men's and women's teams are in the midst of a generational change – after Toba announced his retirement two weeks ago, German record champion Elisabeth Seitz, who had to withdraw from the European Championships due to a shoulder injury, also announced the end of her career in Leipzig.

"We're looking to the future with optimism," said Gutekunst, referring to teenager Schönmaier's individual vault title, "but we know we have to keep working hard; not everything is perfect." Not least because Helen Kevric, the big hope in Leipzig, injured her knee and had to undergo surgery – the 17-year-old will likely face a longer break from competition.

"This is, of course, a huge disappointment," said Gutekunst, adding that it's "still far too early" to predict her time off work. Kevric had fought her way to the European Championships with her new coach at the Stuttgart base, American Aimee Boorman, after her former coach was suspended by the Swabian Gymnastics Federation (STB) in the wake of the abuse scandal. But just like Kevric's return, the continued employment of Boorman, who previously coached US world star Simone Biles and was hired in Stuttgart in March, remains completely uncertain.

"It is important that the gymnasts have clarity"

Boorman had been given a five-month contract, and what happens next "is a topic that needs to be discussed after the European Championships," Gutekunst said. It's important that the "gymnasts have long-term clarity."

The allegations of "mental and physical abuse" at the bases in Stuttgart and Mannheim, which were primarily raised by former top athletes a few months ago, continue to have a direct impact on training operations. The DTB is already busy investigating these abuses, and the entire process will drag on into next year, Gutekunst said. These remain turbulent times for the association, despite the "golden" days in Leipzig.