A former head coach and sporting director of a sports club in the greater Munich area has gone on trial on allegations of having sexually abused a total of around 30 boys aged between 13 and 19 over a period of several years starting in 2016. Among the charges against the now 47-year-old are numerous counts of rape. The man reportedly always followed the same pattern, first telling his victims that he had trained as a physiotherapist, then telling them that he would treat them to promote blood flow to their muscles. He then proceeded to abuse them.
The man stands accused of more than 800 counts of sexual abuse. He is accused of more than 200 counts of rape. The allegations came to light in early 2022 after one of the alleged victims confided in his parents. The man was arrested in October 2022 and has been in custody ever since.
What punishment does the accused stand to face?
The former coach has confessed to the crimes. On the first day of the trial, the judge stated that should the accused confess to the charges, he could face a lighter sentence, as this would mean that the victims would be spared the burden of having to testify. The judge said this could result in a prison sentence of between seven and eight years. However, he also stated that this did not necessarily mean that the perpetrator would be released after serving his sentence. This means he could subsequently face "preventive detention" in a correctional facility or be placed in a psychiatric clinic.
Have there been any comparable previous cases in German sport?
Sexualized violence is very much a problem in German sport, as a study published in 2022 revealed. More than 70 victims described their traumatic experiences. In the same year, former European diving champion Jan Hempel went public about his alleged abuse. He accused his former coach of repeatedly sexually abusing him over a period of 14 years. The coach died in 2001.
Several former coaches have been put on trial in Germany on allegations of sexual abuse. Also in 2022, a former gymnastics coach in the eastern state of Thuringia was found guilty of 20 cases of sexual abuse and sentenced to three years and two months in prison.
The scale of the current trial in Munich involves a much higher number of victims, and it is reminiscent of international cases such as that of former US gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, former youth coach Barry Bennell at English football club Manchester City or the allegations of abuse against the former president of the Haitian Football Association, Yves Jean-Bart.
How is German sport trying to combat sexualized violence?
More than a year ago, the club at the center of the current trial began requiring all of its coaches to provide an Enhanced Certificate of Conduct. This is a document issued by Germany's Federal Office of Justice, which is designed to help screen individuals seeking to work with children and young people. In 2021, before the case became public, the club had adopted a "protection and emergency concept" in which the club set out how it would deal with any suspected cases of abuse. However, as the club's managing director conceded after the allegations against the former coach came to light, "you can never be 100% sure."
In late 2022, the "Safe Sport" association was established as an independent point of contact for victims of sexualized, psychological and physical violence in sports looking for help.
