Athletic who specializes in gymnastics. - Legal action against ex-physician involving Helene Schäfer-Betz is no longer valid.
A previous gymnast named Helene Schäfer-Betz was unable to seek reimbursement from her former physician at the Olympic Training Center in Chemnitz. Her lawsuit for 30K euros was dismissed on Wednesday by the Medical Liability Chamber of the Chemnitz Regional Court. Despite his responsibility to inform her regarding the potential adverse effects of the painkiller Tilidin, the court's representative Marika Lang clarified the reasoning behind this dismissal. It couldn't be conclusively determined that consuming the pill resulted in her tumble during a competition. Moreover, there were no indicators suggesting she should've retired from sports medically. Defense attorney Jana Neumann expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and hinted at an appeal.
In this legal conflict, the crux was that Helene Schäfer-Betz, the sister of ex-world champion Pauline Schäfer-Betz, was given the go-ahead at 16 to consume the painkiller Tilidin before a Japanese competition, despite lengthy hip discomfort. She subsequently lost consciousness and plummeted off the beam at the 2017 event. She called it quits on her gymnastics career in 2021. The accused doctor denied the accusations and claimed his care had been adequate.
At the beginning of March, the court called upon Christoph Lohmann, the director of the Magdeburg orthopedic university clinic, to testify as an expert. He vouched for a flawless treatment, insisting that administering the painkiller following a phone call was not a concern. According to him, it had been prescribed at the lowest dosage. Lohmann's evaluation was based on the patient's file where there had been previous MRI examinations and discussions about diagnostics, he noted. Additionally, athletes at the Olympic Training Center received comprehensive care from physiotherapists and sports psychologists, Lohmann pointed out.
Attorney Neumann expressed her frustration on Wednesday because the court placed more weight on the expert's evaluation than anything else—without listening to Helene Schäfer-Betz's version. She was also denied her request for a supplementary opinion from a pediatrician. "We will most likely appeal against the decision with near certainty," she informed the German Press Agency. The court indicated that an appeal could be filed at the Higher Regional Court.
This case is connected to claims made by athletes who, similar to Helene Schäfer-Betz, were trained at the Olympic Training Center in Chemnitz. Numerous former athletes of Gabriele Frehse's care spoke of psychiatric abuse and the unauthorized administration of medication, which Frehse has always refuted. The Chemnitz Public Prosecutor's Office halted the investigation for negligent physical harm, and the Chemnitz Labor Court dismissed the unfair dismissal claim. Since then, Frehse has been employed as the Austrian women's national coach.
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- Despite the dismissal of Helene Schäfer-Betz's case, the issue of potentially harmful health processes at the Olympic Training Center in Chemnitz continues to generate concern in the world of gymnastics in Germany.
- The court's spokeswoman, Marika Lang, stated that although the ex-physician did not adequately inform Helene Schäfer-Betz about the potential risks of painkillers, there was no definitive proof that the medication caused her injuries during the competition.
- The presence of painkillers like Tilidin in the sports world in Saxony has led to numerous discussions about the importance of proper medical care and adherence to health processes to protect the welfare of athletes, including those who excel in gymnastics.
- Similarly to Helene Schäfer-Betz, other athletes who trained under coach Gabriele Frehse have been vocal about allegations of psychiatric abuse and unauthorized medication, leading to legal actions and investigations in Germany.
- Despite the German court ruling in favor of the physician in Helene Schäfer-Betz's case, the struggle for compensation for pain and suffering and a call for improved health processes remains a pressing issue in German sports institutions, including gymnastics training centers like the one in Chemnitz.
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