German national gymnastics coach talks about doping in the GDR

The German national gymnastics coach Jens Milbradt has spoken about doping in the GDR before the start of the home European Championships in Leipzig. When asked whether he had known or suspected during his active career that doping played a role in gymnastics, the 56-year-old answered the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (Monday): "So suspected is certainly the better word."

Milbradt: "It was clear that something was going on there"

Milbradt added by way of explanation: "It was customary to have to undergo certain tests before traveling to capitalist countries, and you had to ask yourself: Why would you do that if you thought you had never taken anything? So it was clear that something was going on there."

In response to an initial question as to whether he had come into contact with doping during his active career, the head coach gave an evasive answer in the interview: "It was actually supposed to be about the future of German men's gymnastics, wasn't it?" Milbradt took over the post from Valeri Belenki last November.

Federal coach would have liked internal communication

The abuse scandal in German gymnastics also concerns Milbradt. He pleaded for more differentiation and said: "What annoys me the most, or saddens me the most, is that it was not possible to bring the gymnasts into internal communication with the coaches and, above all, with the DTB. That would have been a better solution than what we have right now."

Lead by former selected athlete Tabea Alt, several former and active gymnasts have denounced grievances since the end of last year. However, Milbradt believes that the sport of gymnastics has not been unfairly exposed to the current accusations. "Absolutely not. I think we live in a world in which it is completely legitimate to talk about problems," said the coach.