talks about doping practices in the former East German sports regime, as revealed by a former coach from the regime. - GDR's doping practices discussed by German national team coach
In the run-up to the European Championships in Leipzig, German national gymnastics coach Jens Milbradt addressed the issue of doping in East Germany. When questioned about his suspicions regarding performance-enhancing substances during his competitive career, Milbradt, 56, responded, "Suspected is certainly the better word."
He further elaborated, "It was common to undergo certain tests before traveling to the capitalist West, and one had to question: Why undergo these tests if one believed never to have taken anything? So it was clear that something was going on."
Initially, Milbradt appeared reluctant to discuss doping in the context of his past career, instead steering the conversation towards the future of German men's gymnastics. He assumed the coaching role from Valeri Belenki in November last year.
Milbradt expressed a desire for better internal communication within the sport, particularly in light of the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed German gymnastics. He lamented, "What bothers or saddens me the most is that it wasn't possible to bring the gymnasts, the coaches, and especially the DTB into an internal communication. That would have been a better solution than what we have now."
Leading a group of former and current gymnasts, Tabea Alt has been at the forefront of the accusations of abuse since the end of last year. However, Milbradt does not view the gymnastics community as unjustifiably embroiled in the current allegations. He stated, "I think we live in a world where it's completely legitimate to talk about problems."
East Germany was notorious for its state-sponsored doping program, which affected various sports, including athletics and swimming. The program, particularly noticeable in the East German women's swim team during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, resulted in an unusual number of gold medals. While Milbradt's connection to any doping investigations is not substantiated, the broader context suggests that doping was systemic across several disciplines in East Germany. However, specific details about gymnastics are less well-documented compared to other sports like swimming and track and field.
- The general-news of doping in East Germany, a topic prominent in numerous sports, has resurfaced as German national gymnastics coach Jens Milbradt shed light on the suspicion of performance-enhancing substances during his competitive career.
- In the midst of discussions about the upcoming European Championships, Milbradt's comments alluded to a past policy of testing before traveling to capitalist West, indicating an air of ambiguity surrounding the issue of doping in East German gymnastics.
- As Germany grapples with the sexual abuse scandal in gymnastics, Milbradt, the new coach, has emphasized the importance of improved internal communication within the sport, acknowledging the importance of addressing problems in the realm of crime-and-justice, including those related to performance-enhancing substances.
