Sports ministry takes steps to tackle abuse of young athletes
Peter Klaunzer/Keystone
Following the Swiss gymnastics abuse scandal that blew up last year, the sports ministry wants tougher action to deal with ethics violations and to better protect young athletes in the future.
Sports Minister Viola Amherd on Tuesday presented a series of measures to tackle the issue of harassment and abusive training methods in sport.
They follow a federal investigation that confirmed cases of psychological and physical abuse of several young female gymnasts, in particular from 2010-2013, at the Swiss Gymnastics Federation’s National Performance Centre at Magglingen, canton Bern. In October 2020, eight young gymnasts had come forward to reveal their stories to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper.
The sports ministry has presented a long list of changes it wants to implement. They include the creation of a central, independent reporting office for victims of abuse and ethics violations from January 1, 2022. The office will investigate cases and report to a disciplinary commission.
More
More
Swiss gymnastics federation called out for ‘problematic culture’
This content was published on
The world governing body for the sport of gymnastics has blamed the power structure for alleged abuses in Switzerland’s gymnastics federation.
The ministry says it needs to adapt and strengthen rules and legislation in Switzerland to ensure that any breaches of ethical principles are correctly punished. In future, the authorities will also work more closely with sports associations to ensure the existing ethics charter drawn up with Swiss Olympic is properly applied.
According to the results of a survey conducted by a Zurich law firm, Swiss athletes – both male and female and especially minors – are not sufficiently protected, and psychological and physical abuse and negligence occur during training sessions and competitions.
“Existing structures are insufficient with regard to the enforcement of ethical principles,” it said.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss parliament calls for deeper EU security cooperation
This content was published on
The House of Representatives has called on the Swiss government to take a more proactive approach to European security policy.
Switzerland has no US-style fentanyl problem, says health minister
This content was published on
There is very little chance of a US-sized fentanyl epidemic in Switzerland, says health minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider.
This content was published on
Two fish species recently discovered in Switzerland have been called fluvicola and ommata, following an appeal to the public for names.
Convicted ex-shipowner achieves partial success in Swiss court
This content was published on
The Federal Supreme Court orders lower court to reassess part of its verdict against former Swiss shipowner Hans-Jürg Grunder.
This content was published on
A Swiss moratorium on the genetic engineering of plants, which expires at the end of 2025, could be extended for five years.
SWISS airline achieves second-best profit in history
This content was published on
Revenues soared for Swiss International Air Lines in 2024, contributing to the second-largest profit in the company's history.
This content was published on
Trainers for the Swiss Gymnastics Federation’s women’s team have resigned en masse following an ethics investigation into psychological abuse.
Swiss gymnastics federation called out for ‘problematic culture’
This content was published on
The world governing body for the sport of gymnastics has blamed the power structure for alleged abuses in Switzerland’s gymnastics federation.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.