- Allegations of Mistreatment Surround Young Ice Dancing Prodigy
Due to allegations of physically harming several of his ice dance trainees, the junior ice dance team's national coach, Stefano Caruso, is facing trial in a Berlin court. Caruso, 37, is accused of seven suspected incidents between July 2018 and October 2020. The charges include maltreatment of dependents and intentional bodily harm. Caruso is alleged to have believed in "disciplining" his trainees. He refuted the accusations, claiming he'd never harmed children. He considered the allegations as retaliation.
The alleged incidents occurred during training in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen and during a training trip to Poland. Three boys, aged 10 to 14 during the incidents, are listed as victims in the case. One 10-year-old boy is said to have been dragged by his feet and rolled across the ice surface multiple times, causing pain and a head injury. In another incident, the accused allegedly dragged this boy across the tartan track during running training, causing abrasions.
In August 2020, the coach is said to have twisted the ears of a 12-year-old ice dancer until he cried in pain. The suspected incidents also include a blow to the back of a boy's head, painful hand squeezes over 45 times, pushing during running training, and biting an 11-year-old's ear.
He "emphasized and misconstrued events a lot"
The junior national coach stated that he had "always put the best interest, including their social development, first". The allegations surfaced after his decision to work exclusively with national teams. "The three boys named in the case were not part of that", said the coach, who was once a successful ice dancer with an Olympic participation. He made this decision due to issues with club billing in Berlin. After that, things were "emphasized and misconstrued greatly".
It happened that he pulled a child off the ice - "just for fun". In an exercise called "airplane", he held trainees by the arm and leg - "they glide just above the ice, it's enjoyable for the children", said the coach. There was also body contact in lifting exercises. Ears were sometime playfully rubbed - "gently and briefly".
According to the coach, who continues to work, the allegations led to an internal investigation. As a result of the proceedings, he now ensures "fewer interactions that could be misinterpreted", said Caruso. The trial at Tiergarten Local Court will continue with the first witnesses on September 9.
Despite Caruso's assertions of prioritizing his trainees' best interests and his defense of certain actions as playful or enjoyable, the court must now consider if these actions align with the principles of justice and child protection laws. Caruso's continued employment while under investigation raises questions about the justice system's responsiveness to allegations of abuse.
