Gymn Forum: Ellen Berger Resigns as FIG Technical Committee President

Ellen Berger Resigns as FIG Technical Committee President

OTA, 2/92

Ellen Berger, who chaired the Women’s Technical Committee of the FIG for 16 years, officially resigned from her candidacy for re-election to that post at the beginning of March. The reason for this is the renewed questions on the topic of the Ministry of State Security by the DTB, press releases stated. At the Cottbus Tournament of Masters, OTA spoke to the 71-year-old Technical Committee president.

OTA: Mrs. Berger, please describe the events that led to your decision.

EB: About a year ago, the DTB asked me to run again for the office of Technical Committee Chairman, after my decision had already been made to end my work with the 1992 elections. At the time I asked for 3 weeks to think it over and then decided to agree because I felt fit enough for this position. When the candidatures had to be submitted to the FIG, at the end of last year we -- Karl-Heinz Zschocke, Eberhard Gienger, and myself -- were invited to a DTB presidium meeting in Hamburg. I have to say that it was really a very pleasant, open, and friendly conversation there, and I was very impressed by the relaxed atmosphere. There I was asked questions, for example about cooperation within the DTB, and also whether I had been in contact with certain authorities in the past. At that time I said: No, I can swear to that with a clear conscience. After this conversation, the candidature went from the DTB to the FIG and was confirmed from there. So everything was fine, until the end of February when I received a letter from the President of the DTB, Professor Dieckert.

OTA: What was it about?

EB: In connection with my candidacy for an elective office of the FIG, he wanted me to sign a personal declaration that I had not been an employee of the State Security [Stasi] or had worked for them. I’m certainly not easily thrown off course – but I was really shocked. My first thought was, why don’t you trust me? We can’t work together without trust. In this respect, my decision was made immediately. I see no possibility of continuing my work in such an atmosphere of distrust. I also cannot accept that such an action should now be started again after everything had already been discussed in detail. Nevertheless, I duly answered the letter and sent it back.

OTA: And then you officially announced your resignation?

EB: Yes. First I informed DTB Vice President Hans-Jurgen Zacharias, who is also an executive member of the FIG. He had made plans to visit me anyway to talk to me about the forthcoming FIG elections. After that I communicated my decision to FIG General Secretary Norbert Bueche.

OTA: What were the reactions to your statement?

EB: Different. Some were shocked and asked me to reconsider. There was a lot of approval – calls, letters, cards – acknowledging my attitude. Foreign gymnastics friends were completely surprised and don’t understand at all what problems we have with each other here in Germany.

OTA: You mentioned East-West relations…

EB: Yes, that’s still a big problem. I don’t want to generalize: I had and still have good, unprejudiced cooperation with my partners in the competitive sports sector.

OTA: There were also press reports in which there was talk of “unconfirmed rumors” of alleged information on your part that had led to arrests.

EB: I find this kind of news so bad that I can’t even put it into words. Apparently, it’s enough to make an accusation, whether there’s a reason for it or not. I’d like to take action against such writings, but I fear it’s pointless. Something like this is, unfortunately, part of our everyday life today.

OTA: What will happen next with your Technical Committee?

EB: Jackie Fie from the USA, my deputy for many years, is now the sole candidate for the presidency. We work well together and have maintained that despite our “counter-candidate.” Before these elections it was like a competition – I don’t know which of us won. We just had a small committee meeting in Frankfurt and were able to talk about everything peacefully. She was quite shocked by my decision, but accepted it. I will continue to do official business until the end of the year. Big highlights are coming up with the world championships and the Olympic Games, and we also have a big intercontinental judges' course in Paris in November. A new Technical Committee member must be elected so that there are seven representatives again. There are already several candidacies.

OTA: Could the DTB now send a successor into the race?

EB: I really enjoyed working in gymnastics, first as a coach, and later also with great enthusiasm for the FIG. On the other hand, at some point you have to stop anyway. I’m not depressed either. I say that with the feeling of leaving something good behind, of having achieved something. Now I hope that my successors will continue.